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The Imperial Faith

2024-06-16T18:32:50Z

Hal: Crosslinked to Saints of Prosperitas

''See Also:''
* [[The Ecclesiarchy]]
* [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|The Ecclesiarchy in the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Prayer and Liturgy]]

There are two state religions within the Imperium, the [[Machine Cult]] (or Credo Omnissiah) and the far more dominant Cult Imperialis.

The Cult Imperialis is dedicated to one universal truth: That the God-Emperor of Humanity is the one true god and all other Gods are falsehoods.

All humans born on worlds that are in the thrall of the Imperium and do not owe a close relationship to the Adeptus Mechanicus (who follow the [[The Cult Mechanicus|Machine Cult]]) are indoctrinated in some form or another in the tenets of the Cult Imperialis.

The Cult is also known as the Imperial Cult or Imperial Creed. These terms refer to the Religion itself, not the Priesthood. The title of that organisation is the Adeptus Ministorum, sometimes simply referred to as the Ministorum, or the [[Ecclesiarchy]].

=== The History of the Cult Imperialis ===
''This section represents the “Truth” as taught by the Imperial Cult. Like much of Imperial history, it may be unreliable.''

The Imperial Cult rose during the dark times of the Horus Heresy, as the Arch-foe Horus attacked the Imperium, followed by eight daemons. The people were defended by the Emperor and Their Nine Children, the Primarchs. In this time of terror and darkness, the people came to see that their Emperor was in fact much more than the human they had believed Them to be, and the one true God of Humanity.

As of the 41st Millennium the cult has weathered a number of schisms and events that have challenged Imperial belief. Despite these trials it has come to permeate the Imperium, of all elements it is the strongest example of a monolithic ‘Imperial culture’ directing the styles of art, architecture and music common to all citizens of the Imperium – all of these transmitted through religious beliefs and Ecclesiastic declarations to the furthest corners of the galaxy. Even on the most strange and hostile planets in the Galaxy, there is a comforting familiarity to the nature of the Cult there for all Imperial Citizens.

=== The Core Tenets of the Cult Imperialis ===

The Imperial Cult experiences variation across sects and Sectors, simply because of unreliability of long-distance communication within the Imperium. Reforms and proclamations made on Terra by the Ecclesiarch might take hundreds of years to reach an outlying sector at the edge of the Galaxy.

What follow are a rough list of the core tenets of the Cult Imperialis, the Imperial Creed that are all-but universal and have stood for millennia.

* The God-Emperor of Mankind once walked among humanity in Their mortal form; but They are and always have been the one, true God of Humanity.

* The God-Emperor of Humanity is the one true God of Humanity, regardless of the previous beliefs held by humanity. To recognise any God but Them is Heresy.*

* It is the duty of all Imperial citizens to stand against Their foes and remain vigilant against all threats to the Imperium, the following three ‘Catechisms of Hate’ are known by all humanity;
** Purge the Heretic
** Beware** the Witch*** and the Mutant
** Abhor the Alien****

* Every human being has a place within the God-Emperor's divine order. All human souls belong to Them and Them alone, it is the manifest destiny and divine right of the Imperium to rule over all of humanity in Their name.

* It is the duty of the Faithful to unquestionably obey the authority of the Imperial government and their superiors, who speak in the Emperor's name.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> This is a cause of considerable conflict with Machine Cult who worships the ‘Omnissiah’ or ‘Machine-God’ – especially with those factions of the Machine Cult who view the Emperor as a separate entity to the Omnissiah. Because of the Adeptus Mechanicus’ value to the Imperium, this deviation is largely ignored, despite more fanatical elements of the Ecclesiarchy decrying the Machine Cult.

<nowiki>**</nowiki> In some more fanatical elements of the Imperial cult ‘Beware’ is replaced with ‘Burn’, this tenet is a core factor in the discrimination received by mutants, abhumans and psykers. The Creed is very quiet on the subject of Navigators.

<nowiki>***</nowiki> The definition of ‘Witch’ is a difficult one to pin down, the Adeptus Ministorum tells followers that Sanctioned Psykers and Astropaths are sacred tools of the Imperium confirmed by Holy Terra, and that ‘Witches’ are renegade and xenos psykers who use their foul powers on the Imperium. The average Imperial citizen struggles to tell the difference between the two, and many legally sanctioned Psykers have lost their lives to mobs that couldn’t differentiate them from Witches.

<nowiki>****</nowiki> This does not simply refer to the Imperium’s xenophobic hatred of all Xenos life forms but also the universal rejection of any ideas, technology, culture and philosophy brought from ‘without’ – this is a major reason for the conservatism of Imperial society, which treats ‘new’ ideas with immense suspicion.

Beyond these Tenets, the Cult Imperialis begins to deviate. The subject of the Emperor's gender, for example, is not universally accepted. Many elements of the Cult point to writings that suggest that when They walked amongst humanity, the Emperor identified, and was written of, as male and so they identify Him as such. Others argue that They transcend all boundaries of humanity and thus represent all genders at once, and use neutral pronouns – while further more might argue that one’s experience of the true God of Humanity is experienced through the lense of your personal experience, and choose to gender Them as they perceive them. It depends on the individual, and is not a subject of great controversy for an Imperium that largely considers gender identity a personal choice.

There is considerably more debate surrounding the existence of an afterlife. Many teach of the existence of an afterlife where the souls of the Faithful join the God-Emperor in eternal struggle against the Archenemy. There are some who argue that this afterlife is a paradise, an elysian field of rest, but these are often decried as soft, that the TRUE Faithful lend their strength to the God-Emperor in battle. There are detractors, who believe that few receive such a gift, who point to the ‘Living Saints’ of the God-Emperor to show that only the strongest continue after death, and it is the duty of citizens to give their all NOW without questioning what lies beyond.

It is notable that the Imperial Cult strongly believes in the concept that a human’s soul can be damned by failing to give worship to the God-Emperor or led astray by [[heretics|false beliefs]], or simply by failing to follow the tenets of the Cult and [[Law and Order|Imperial Laws]]. What happens to the damned when they die is a much more unified message, that they are dragged screaming into the depths of the Hells to suffer in damnation.

Almost universally, the Imperial Cult does believe in an event known as the ‘End Times’ when the God-Emperor will arise from the Golden Throne, when great heroes of the Imperium will return to it, and when the final battle against the Archenemy will take place and the God-Emperor will sit in judgement of all souls, and those found unworthy will be consumed by holy flame. The signs of the End Times are a subject of argument, some say that they will only come when the Imperium falters… others see signs around them now, in the 41st Millenium. Whatever the time to their arrival preparing humanity for these times is a core focus of Cult doctrine.

=== The Saints ===

''See Also: [[The_Ecclesiarchy_Sects_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Notable_Saints_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Notable Saints of the Prosperitas Sector]]''

The concept of Sainthood within the Imperium is built from the tenet of belief that all humans have a place in the Emperor’s universe. Sainthood is a status awarded by the Ecclesiarchy to those individuals who carry out great works that it believes demonstrate that the God-Emperor acted through them and as such they represent divine manifestations of the God-Emperor’s will.

All manner of Imperial citizens have been uplifted; though it should come as no surprise to an Imperium beset by foes and conflict that a great number of the uplifted are military heroes. Warriors who have lead Crusades and defeated great enemy incursions are often awarded Sainthood. Sainthood comes to others too; people who have changed the Imperium with words, texts and actions are often equally recognised where the Ecclesiarchy believes that their role has improved the God-Emperor’s realm for the better.

The majority of Saints are recognised after their deaths, and become mythological figures of veneration and worship to the people of the Imperium. There are a small number of saints recognised across the Imperium; near-mythological figures of veneration whose acts shaped the Imperium as a whole. But for many thousands of recognised Saints worship and veneration of them only occurs on the worlds and in the regions they touched, and as such a figure that might be dominant in the cosmology of one planet’s Cult Imperialis, may not even be known on another.

Rare is the Saint who is declared as such while they still draw breath, and to be declared a ‘Living Saint’ is a very complicated proposition. Believed by the Cult Imperialis to be DIRECT manifestations of the God-Emperor’s will, a Living Saint is usually gifted with some aspect of the Emperor be it prophecy, healing light, or superhuman combat abilities. Because of fear of charlatans, psykers and sorcerers masquerading as these holy figures (and indeed the Imperium has been led astray before) the Ecclesiarchy and the Inquisition have made it very difficult for a Living Saint to be recognised officially until they have passed a complicated series of tests under direct observation. The last of these is martyrdom: a true Living Saint will be reborn when the Imperium needs them most. The majority of candidates fail this final test and the Ecclesiarchy may recognise them as blessed Faithful or Saints for their actions.

==== Common Imperial Saints ====

'''Saint Keeler''' – Known as the First Saint and the Emperor’s Prophet, Euphrati Keeler was a Remembrancer responsible for recording the Great Crusade during its final years. She is venerated as the Prophet responsible for the revelation of the godhood of the God-Emperor who set humanity on its path to veneration. She is an essential figure in the Imperial cult, and it is not uncommon to give worship to the Prophet on a par with the Primarchs, much of her story is unknown and many priests have dedicated years to understanding the Prophet’s history.

'''Saint Malcador''' – Also known as the Sigilite and Malcador the Hero is a mysterious figure in the history of the Imperium, the Emperor’s right hand throughout the Great Crusade and the Heresy, Malcador founded many of the institutions of mankind, including the Holy Ordos. It is known he was Martyred during the Battle of Terra when he sat upon the Golden Throne and kept the Astronomicon ablaze while the Emperor confronted the Arch-Traitor Horus and for this reason the Emperor Themself declared him a Saint as they ascended the Golden Throne.

'''Saint Thor''' – Sebastian Thor rose to prominence when the Tyrant Goge Vandire attempted to seize control of the Imperium. Thor was blessed of the Emperor and led a Crusade of Holy Forces including the Angels of Death against the tyrant, and ending the so-called Reign of Blood. A humble man who initially refused the position, Thor became the 292nd Ecclesiarch of the Ecclesiarchy and would reform it immensely, including the issue of the Decree Passive which disbanded all Ecclesiarchy armed forces, save for the foundation of the Adepta Sororitas – for many followers of the Imperial Cult his rise marks the beginning of the Temple as it is today, though to some more militant figures his prominence is controversial given he eroded much of the power of the Ecclesiarchy.

'''Saint Dominicia and the Five Companions''' – Saint Dominicia and her five companions, Arabella, Katherine, Lucia, Mina, and Silvana are considered to be the original Soror’s, although it was Thor who led a Crusade to Terra, it was Dominicia who slew the Tyrant Vandire by her hand. She had been tricked into many years of service to him but, according to legend, was visited by the Emperor which led to her casting him down personally. After the conflict, she and the five companions led the formation of the elite fighting cadres of the Adepta Sororitas.

=== The Primarchs ===

The Imperial creed tells that when the God-Emperor walked amongst humanity They begat Nine Children, each a great warrior, to lead the Legions of the Angels of Death forged by Their hand. Though each of The Nine were beings of flesh and bone, they were everything Humanity should aspire to be, pure of spirit, pure of mind, pure of body, the greatest of the God-Emperor's Creations. They were;

'''Lion El'Jonson''' – known as the Lion and Primarch of the Dark Angels, a Great Knight who slew great monsters with a holy blade, whose Legion served to guard humanity in the darkest reaches. As a result of their relation to his cognomen, Lions are often used to represent a Guardian against darkness and is a reccurring theme in places where the Archenemy is feared to be strongest.

'''Jaghatai Khan''' – known as the Great Khan or Warhawk and Primarch of the White Scars, a roaring roving soul who quested far and brought the Imperium to distant worlds, yet returned home to Terra in the hour of the Emperor’s greatest need. Because of their association with the Great Khan, Hawks and other birds of prey, save the Eagle (which is associated with the Emperor), are often favoured symbology by explorers and missionaries.

'''Leman Russ''' – The Wolf King and Primarch of the Space Wolves, the roaring aspect of the fury of the Emperor made manifest, hunting down foes and destroying them utterly. Because of their association with the Wolf King, Wolves are often favoured symbology of Bounty Hunters, Arbites Hunter-Marshalls and even Executioners.

'''Rogal Dorn''' – The Praetorian of Terra, the Primarch of the Imperial Fists, the champion who remained on Terra with the Emperor and led the defence of the Cradle of Humanity in the darkest of hours. Because of Dorn, gauntlets and symbols of clenched fists are often associated with guardianship, favoured talismans by wardens and bodyguards alike.

'''Sanguinius''' – The Great Angel and the Brightest One and the Primarch of the Blood Angels, Sanguinius was the favoured child of the God-Emperor made in the form of a winged human, who gave his life against the Arch-Traitor Horus. Because of him, Angels are considered to represent the radiant glory of the God-Emperor made manifest, the highest form of the faithful, from associations with him much of the iconography displaying Saints and other holy servants of the Imperium with angelic wings comes.

'''Ferrus Manus''' – The Gorgon was the Primarch of the Iron Hands, little is spoken of this Primarch other than to recognise him as a mighty smith who created many wonders. He is known to have been slain by the foul Daemon Fulgrim in the early battles of the Heresy, though his feature in the Imperial mythos does little to explain much about him.

'''Roboute Guilliman''' – The Avenging Son, the Lord-Commander of the Imperium and the Primarch of the Ultramarines, if Sanguinius is celebrated as a tragic lost light of the Imperium, Roboute Guilliman is celebrated as a great living icon. The statesman who, after the Emperor retreated to the Golden Throne, rebuilt the Imperium into the form it is in today, organising humanity so it may govern, he is the author of multiple treatises on war, governance and administration that the Imperium relies upon today he is a symbol of ‘civilisation’ to the Imperium.

'''Vulkan''' – Unique amongst all the Primarchs, Vulkan had no cognomen, Primarch of the Salamanders Legion, he was a champion of humanity and a protector of the weak, stories talk about him liberating whole worlds with cleansing flame. He is commonly associated with Fire and the Forge and is attributed to the Imperial Creeds symbolic reliance on fire as a symbol of purification.

'''Corvus Corax''' – Known also as the Liberator, the Deliverer and the Shadowed Lord , Corax was the Primarch of the Raven Guard Legion, a dark and shrouded figure who famously liberated many worlds during the Heresy. Because of Corax, Raven’s are often seen as symbols of hidden protection, and vigilance, featuring commonly in the iconography of covert bodies within the Imperium.

Though the Imperial mythos recognises the mortality of the Primarchs in the deaths of Ferrus Manus and Sanguinius, it only ever speaks of them being killed by great monsters, Sanguinius at the hand of the Arch-Traitor Horus, and Ferrus Manus at the hands one of the Nine Daemons.. Of the remainder, all are considered to have left the Imperium at various points in time, promising to return when they were needed by the Imperium most, or when the End Times come.

There are apocryphal accounts that state that the Horus and the eight remaining members of the nine daemons were once Primarchs who turned upon the God-Emperor, their progenitor. Most Ecclesiastical literature dismisses this as falsehood, for the idea of the God-Emperor ever creating something ‘flawed’ is highly unsettling to most followers of the Cult. But it is noted by supporters of this version of the tale, that there are twenty plinths around the Imperial palace, nine are occupied by the statues of the nine Primarchs...the remaining eleven remain empty to this day.

To the Imperium, the Primarchs occupy a position in cosmology equivalent to forms of Demi-God, their names are invoked in rite and ritual dependent on their associations.

To most Imperial Citizens, Primarchs are as mythic and legendary of the God-Emperor himself, on some worlds they may be recognised in other shapes and roles, their names may be spoken or pronounced differently.

Saints

2024-06-16T18:30:48Z

Hal: broken redirect

#REDIRECT [[The_Imperial_Faith#The_Saints]]

Songs of the Prosperitas Sector

2024-01-19T15:14:23Z

Hal: Added Thor's Holy Bones

=== Songs and Hymns of the Prosperitas Sector ===

The Prosperitas Culture has a series of ancient musical traditions, native and colonist alike. While singing in the native languages of the [[Annwfyn]] and [[Ruwwad]] is illegal, traditional tunes from both cultures with Low Gothic lyrics are popular on colonised planets; and the Imperial colonists brought a wealth of music with them.

==== Hymns ====

===== Thor's Holy Bones =====
''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKvB3g3HEPQ here] ''

 I have shed my robe and crown
 I have shed my golden shackles
 When I walk on Terra's soil
 I shall barefoot be, and humble,
 To see Thor's holy bones

''To seek Saint Alicia's splendour
'' I have travelled through the stars
'' I have fasted, prayed and wandered
'' To see Thor's holy bones

Though the night is vast and dark
 Though the void is full of horrors
 I will fix my eyes on Sol
 I will sail with ceaseless wonder,
 To see Thor's holy bones

''To seek…''

And when someday I return
 To my friends and waiting lovers
 Let me burn them like the sun,
 Let me fill them with the fervour
 To see Thor's holy bones

''To seek…''

Should my courage fall away
'' Should I fear the fire's blessing,
'' You must lift me to the light,
'' Tell me, "once, you went a pilgrim,
'' To see Thor's holy bones"

''To seek…''

Then when winter fills my blood
 And the Throne unceasing calls me
 Let my fading eyes see nothing
 But the light that once compelled me
 To see Thor's holy bones

''To seek…''

===== Ave, Ave Imperator =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqzGZ5AaeSs here] | Recording [https://soundcloud.com/jessieholder/ave-ave-imperator here] ''

On a warship bound for Terra
 There's a soul with a mournful eye
 High above her there's an angel
 Winging wrathful through the sky

''How the warp is howling
'' It howls with all its might
'' Howls and howls the whole day through
'' And half the summer night, singing sweetly:

''Ave Ave Imperator
'' Ave Imperator Dei
'' Ave Ave Imperator
'' Ave Imperator Dei

Hold your weeping, said the angel,
 Who told you you would die alone?
 Every soul cries out in darkness
 But you journey towards the Throne

''How the Warp....''

Souls are easily bound and broken
 Never knowing the reason why
 But whoever's faith is golden
 Like the angel has learned to fly

''How the warp...''

===== Ave, Ave Omnissiah =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqzGZ5AaeSs here] ''

In the heart of every engine 
In the gearing of each machine 
Turns a spark of perfect reason 
Burns the fire of a soul unseen

''How the spheres are dancing
 ''They dance to songs divine
 ''Marking time across the void
 ''And through the waves and sines, singing sweetly:

''Ave Ave Omnissiah
 ''Ave Deus Machinae
 ''Ave Ave Omnissiah
 ''Ave Deus Machinae

Not forgotten, not discarded
 Every truth lies within His light:
 He whose blesséd Comprehension
 Guides our quest through the endless night.

''How the spheres...''

Ink and metal rust and falter
 Flesh is weak and was born to die:
 But whoever treasures reason
 Like the stars will be raised on high.

''How the spheres...''

===== Rose Red =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lXcmjignfk here] or [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhkw8BPb3EQ here] | A hymn commemorating martyred Sororitas, often sung as a round''

Rose rose rose red, will I ever see thee wed? 
I will marry at thy will, Sire, at thy will. 
Ding dong, ding dong, wedding bells on an April morn 
Carve thy name on a moss covered stone, on a moss covered stone.

Rose rose rose red, she has fought and she has bled 
Waging war on a hundred worlds, on a thousand battleground. 
Open fire, open fire, turn your home to a funeral pyre, 
All she knows is faith and death and a moss-covered stone.

Rose rose rose red, eternity shall see her wed 
Always marching on to fight to another bitter end. 
Open fire, open fire, the flames of war can still burn higher 
Carve that as her epitaph on her moss covered stone.

===== Simple Faith Round =====

''Tune [https://open.spotify.com/track/38f2T3JWak2ygBdWne6qYZ?si=EpUiBgAnR6mjjTVboNadow here]''

As I stand before Her throne 
Every sin I’ve ever known 
Is laid bare before Her sight 
And I’m cleansed by Her burning light

===== Laudate Imperatore =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDc2FD-vy8M here] | Recording [https://soundcloud.com/jessieholder/laudate-imperator here]''

''Laudate, laudate Imperatore
 ''In Cathedra auratae, laudate

Per caeli Terraeque rex est et invictus
 Carnosus et machinae, nemonis abiectus

''Laudate, laudate Imperatore
 ''In Cathedra auratae, laudate

Aquilam attolemus, aura decoratur
 In hoc signo vincemus, malus debellatur

''Laudate, laudate Imperatore
 ''In Cathedra auratae, laudate

Laruae et lamiae nomen sanctum horrent
 Sacrilegi miserae cladis sui deplorent

''Laudate, laudate Imperatore
 ''In Cathedra auratae, laudate

===== Souls of Terra =====

Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXiWsTExlgE here]

Souls of Terra, stop your dreaming,
 Can’t you see their lasguns gleaming?
 See their evil pennants streaming
 To this battlefield.

Souls of Terra stand ye steady,
 It cannot be ever said ye
 For the battle were not ready.
 Stand and never yield.

From the hills rebounding.
 Let this song be sounding.
 Summon all at the Emperor‘s call.
 The mighty force surrounding.

Souls of Terra on to glory.
 This will ever be your story.
 Keep these burning words before ye
 Terra never yields!

===== Turn Your Hearts To Terra =====

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to Terra
 Turn your hearts unto the shining light
 Set your course by mankind’s mighty Father
 Let the Throne’s golden glory lead you right.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to virtue
 Live your lives with faith and so with pride
 Heed the words of saints and priests and in them hear
 The call which cannot be denied.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to Terra
 Turn your hearts unto the shining light
 Set your course by mankind’s mighty Father
 Let the Throne’s golden glory lead you right.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to duty
 Resolutely hold thou firm and stand
 Walk the path which He has set before you
 For only in death does duty end.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to Terra
 Turn your hearts unto the shining light
 Set your course by mankind’s mighty Father
 Let the Throne’s golden glory lead you right.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to battle
 As the drums sound and the trumpets call
 In His name, take up your arms and armour
 And stand boldly forth as heroes all.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to Terra
 Turn your hearts unto the shining light
 Set your course by mankind’s mighty Father
 Let the Throne’s golden glory lead you right.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to glory
 Fill your hearts with faith like flame ablaze
 Burn on bright as stars against the darkness
 And fight on, till you stand before His gaze.

Turn your hearts, o turn your hearts to Terra
 Turn your hearts unto the shining light
 Set your course by mankind’s mighty Father
 Let the Throne’s golden glory lead you right.

==== Secular Songs ====

===== Jacinta's Flag =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZLqq3aX38 here] | A drinking song from the early days of [[Durovera's Crusade]]''

Oh when the traitors, they come a-marching 
Well we will fight, we will fight for Jascinta’s flag 
Oh when the traitors, they come a-marching, 
Spit in the face of history. 

And when the titans, they come a-rolling 
Well we will fight, we will fight for Jascinta's flag 
When the titans, they come a-rolling 
If she can slay them so can we 

And when the cannons rain down from orbit 
Then we will stand, we will stand like Jascinta's flag 
When the cannons rain down from orbit 
Then we shall stand with dignity 

And when their voidships blot out the sunlight 
Then we will fire, we will fire for Jascinta's flag 
When their voidships block out the sunlight 
Then we shall fire until they flee

And when the whiskey, it starts a-flowing 
Then we shall drink, we shall drink to Jascinta's flag 
When the whiskey, it starts a-flowing 
Then let us pour it fast and free

And when they hunt us, they shall not find us 
For we'll be quick, we'll be quick with Jascinta's flag 
When they hunt us, they shall not find us, 
And we shall scorn their infamy.

And when my body is lost and broken 
Then I shall rest, I shall rest 'neath Jascinta's flag, 
When my body is lost and broken 
Well then troops, you fight for me!

Oh when the traitors, they come a-marching 
Well we will fight, we will fight for Jascinta’s flag 
Oh when the traitors, they come a-marching, 
Spit in the face of history.

===== Out to the Black =====

''Tune [https://open.spotify.com/track/4mbkPNrzCJPnufSJGQBp0 here] | Popular among the Caudican Diaspora''

My world is barren and broken 
Scarred as the face of her moon 
The old names are no longer spoken 
Our hives and our spires lie in ruins

Will there be work on Polarnus? 
New quarries and tunnels to shape? 
I could fly all the way out to Cadia 
But oh, I can never escape

'''Chorus''': 
''Where there's a mine or a claim to be found 
''That's what I'm headed for, that's where I'm bound 
''Look for me out past the Gulf, on a moon far away 
''Where the rhodium and gold, the promethium and tin 
''Run in your blood, they get under your skin 
''I'm leaving the system tonight, and I'm not coming back 
''So follow me out to the black''

The desert gave life to the hopeless 
We bored out a mountain of spoil 
When visions of Terra sustained us 
And blessings rewarded our toil

Do you remember the spire-tops? 
A decade can pass in a dream 
When you're working away in the darkness 
Deep in the heart of the seam

''Where there's a mine or a claim to be found...''

I dream of our heroes rewarded 
Redeemed in the sight of the Throne 
Their righteousness duly recorded 
The names of the dead set in stone

''Where there's a mine or a claim to be found...''

===== They Say The Stars =====

''Tune [https://open.spotify.com/track/5qRtma7P9gXTUxkT9KbpPr?si=dwEK7Aoi here] | A cautionary tale, sometimes banned on more orthodox worlds''

They say the stars come out by night 
They say the Eagle will take flight 
They say your world will be torn apart 
If you should give a psyker your heart

Her eyes were bright which should be blind 
I heard her voice inside my mind 
Black ships will carry her away 
She will not see another day

In dreams I saw her face so fair 
All twisted through with bleak despair 
“I am the Emperor’s property 
But still, I ask, could you ever love me?”

“Oh you who’ve seen the Golden Throne 
Must know your life is not your own 
For how could mortal love compare 
To love divine which you must have known there?”

“Oh I have seen the Golden Throne 
My life can never be my own 
But I would trade immortal bliss 
And risk my soul for just one kiss

Her kindly words crept through my heart 
For what could keep two lovers apart? 
As through my mind her darkness stole 
She turned my head and she warped my soul

They say the stars will never fail 
That holy war will ere prevail 
And your whole world will be torn apart 
Should you ever give a psyker your heart

===== My Father Said =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc_imZiljWA here]''

Not long, not long, my father said 
Not long will you be ours: 
The Golden Throne knows all too well 
Which are the fairest flowers.

The priest was all too worldly though 
She prayed and rang her bell: 
The Medicae three candles lit, 
The priest said it was well.

Your arms were all too feeble though 
You claimed to love me so: 
The Emperor stretched out Their hand, 
You sighed and let me go.

This land is all too shallow 
It is painted on the sky 
And it trembles like the wind-shook rain 
When the Emperor breathes a sigh.

Forever and for always 
I pray, remember me: 
Before the Throne, beyond the stars 
In the Emperor's company.

==== Imperial Navy Songs ====

The [[Imperial Navy]] has a particularly strong choral tradition, with shanties and hymns used to keep time during menial tasks such as hauling the great chains to reload macrocannon batteries. Navy songs tend towards the boisterous, loud and repetitive.

===== Star Chanty =====

Recording [https://soundcloud.com/jessieholder/star-chanty here]

'''Chorus:'''
''Away, hey, look out away 
''Set course through the Sector for we’re on our way 
''Away, hey, look out away 
''And the stars in the aft-port doppler away

Our new life begins as we cast off today 
''(Away, hey, look out away)'' 
Our home is this vessel, a battleship grey 
''(And the stars in the aft-port doppler away)''

''Away, hey, look out away...''

Farewell to our homeworld, her blues and her greens 
Farewell to her oceans, her meadows and streams

''Away, hey, look out away...''

It will be many years ere our journey is done 
Till we stand in the light of another bright sun

''Away, hey, look out away...''

So sing the last psalms as we practiced before 
Our hearts leap with joy as the great engines roar

''Away, hey, look out away...''

===== Leave Her Hooky =====

''Tune [https://open.spotify.com/track/3GoPbYodwukBGydu33VFCg?si=tNuRUnoKQASFN6leHqB4hQ here] | Recordings [https://soundcloud.com/jessieholder/leave-her-hooky here], [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jeu23S42KieDRdBAyX5pRbM-ThA05VxN/view?fbclid=IwAR3i-6ZnuDAsPBiVmc-FVuYb-eDnLNQ8UoCno2ILy1mezV4_t2r8PXE_wnM here]''

I thought I heard the Captain say
 ''Leave her, Hooky, leave her
 One broadside more till we belay
 ''And it's time for us to leave her.

'''Chorus''':
 ''Oh leave her Hooky, leave her
 ''Oh leave her Hooky, leave her
 ''One broadside more till we belay
 ''And it's time for us to leave her.

The boats have launched and the vents gape wide
 ''Leave her, Hooky, leave her
 She'll sail no more on the Warp's strange tides
 ''And it's time for us to leave her.

Well they've blown our shields and they've come aboard
 ''Leave her, Hooky, leave her
 But we've a passage fee they can ill afford
 ''And it's time for us to leave her

Now we've spiked the guns and the helm's athwart
 ''Leave her, Hooky, leave her
 And they'll learn too late what the rates have wrought
 ''For it's time for us to leave her.

But we'll leave her tight and we'll leave her trim
 ''Leave her, Hooky, leave her
 And she'll burn so bright that the stars will dim
 ''Now it's time for us to leave her.

===== Voidfarer's Farewell =====

''Tune [https://open.spotify.com/track/3hz8sQpnhcYdMGygpnbXr8?si=Rwsp9ldgRue-y-GadLSwNg here] | A recent propaganda version of a popular drinking song''

Farewell and adieu to you dirtside companions 
Farewell and adieu for we cannot remain 
For we’ve received orders to brave the warp’s currents 
Who knows if you’ll see our fair faces again

'''Chorus''' 
''And it’s one dirtside dance ere we make for Polarnus 
''And one Voidborn kiss ere we brave the warp’s fears 
''Oh we’ll love you and leave you and never forget you 
''Though our journey through Hell should take ten thousand years 

Now the signal’s been made for the grand fleet to gather 
And every true rate has their pistol to hand 
From rimward and coreward the warships are mustering 
Our duty’s before us, Polarnus will stand 

''And it’s one dirtside dance ere we make for Polarnus ...

Now let every rate drink a toast to the Emperor 
And let every rate drink their fill from the bowl 
Oh let us be jolly and drown melancholy 
With a toast to each faithful and brave-hearted soul 

''And it's one dirtside dance...''

===== Light of the Emperor =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jS88rxOMk8&feature=youtu.be here]''

For all who sail beyond the sky
'' Let the light of the Emperor shine on me
 Through the deep of space shines a glorious eye
'' Let the light of the Emperor shine on me

When the starlight fades and the shadows fall
'' Let the light of the Emperor shine on me
 When the storm draws in and the demons call
'' Let the light of the Emperor shine on me

'''Chorus''':
 ''Oh shine on me, shine on me
 ''Let the light of the Emperor shine on me
 ''Shine on me, oh, shine on me
 ''Let the light of the Emperor shine on me

Oh the clouds boil black and the warp winds wail
 ''Let the light...
 And you're caught in the teeth of a living gale
 ''Let the light...

And then your sailor's heart is filled with fear
 When the sounds of claws on the hull draw near

''Chorus''

Then the screams grow quiet with the fading storm
 But the dark is thickest before the dawn

The eternal sun burns the clouds away
 From the darkest night comes the brightest day

''Chorus''

When your ship is safe and you're headed home
 You can thank the Beacon, you can thank the Throne

''Chorus''

===== Under Ulian's Guns =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KO7cofMJH0 here] | An old song about the [[Ships of Note of the Prosperitas Sector|Lion of Terra]], recently re-popularised''

An Imperial ship once put to sky 
An Emperor who caught every eye 
Eight squads of Sharks and two miles high, 
Oh blow, you Warp winds, blow

'''Chorus''': 
Soon may the carrier come 
To haul us out of this cursed sun 
One day, under Ulian's guns 
We're Coreward bound for home

'Twas not six weeks from Gaudium's light 
When a fleet of rebels hove into sight 
Their wakes all glowing with unholy light 
And Xeno ships in tow

''Chorus''

The Captain rang the all-hands bell 
"Now take us into that gravity well! 
We'll send those heretic scum to hell, 
And watch their foul blood flow."

''Chorus''

The pilots dropped their medals and tea 
And jumped in their Thunderbolts, one-two-three, 
The fire they spat made the Xenos flee 
And the rates all cheered below

''Chorus''

The first torpedoes took us aboard 
While the lances sparked and the batteries roared 
And on the decks it was teeth and swords 
As the armscrew struck their blows

''Chorus''

The rebels turned and made to fly 
But the Lion's crew gave the battle-cry 
The battleship turned with a gleam in her eye 
And the engines roared below

''Chorus''

A storm blew up from the depths of Hell 
And the Lion rocked in the fiendish swell 
The relays sparked and the voidshields fell 
It took the ship in tow

''Chorus''

But the fighter wing had turned too late 
In the grip of the star and an evil fate 
When they looked about for the carrier's wake 
The storm had swallowed her whole.

''Chorus''

With static on the vox in the silent chill, 
For all I know they're orbiting still, 
Till the tides of the Warp and the Emperor's Will 
Bring their souls back home

===== Monforte's Folly =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d3XHQVMHDM here] | A lament about the [[Sector_Report_VIII|loss of the St Sanguinius]]. Sector propagandists have been at pains to impress that the fate of the ship is unknown and the content of this song speculation.''

The St Sanguinius lay just off the spar 
For hundreds of years at the Monacus Yard 
Retired and no longer to travel the stars 
Roll, Sanguinius, roll

But when great House Monforte, they made their decree 
The St. Sang a luxury liner would be 
We rebuilt the great ship right down on the quay 
Roll Sanguinius, roll, away 
Roll Sanguinius, roll

'''Chorus:''' 
And it's one for the cold void above 
Two for the Emperor we love 
and it's three for the plasma reactors below 
Roll St Sanguinius, 
Roll Sanguinius, roll

Diamond, Iron Lady, Macharius' Call 
she was the voidship to outsize 'em all 
From Gaudium's shrines to Nivalis' sprawl 
Roll Sanguinius, roll

At last the Lord Monforte he gave us the sign 
The giant ship slipped off the last mooring-line 
What lay ahead could no mortal divine 
Roll Sanguinius, roll, away 
Roll Sanguinius, roll

''Chorus x2''

Her second-hand Gellar Field flickered and waned 
In through the gaps the Empyrean came 
The crew that survived it were never the same 
Roll, Sanguinius, roll

So come all you good workers, beware the command 
That comes down on high from the desk of a man 
Who scrimps on the budget and won't heed the plans 
Roll Sanguinius, roll, away 
Roll Sanguinius, roll

===== Strayvian Passage =====

''Tune [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlhdIdaj4Ho here] | The recovery of the [[Ships of Note of the Prosperitas Sector|Lion of Terra]] has led to rumours of new efforts to find the [[Ships of Note of the Prosperitas Sector|Stormchaser]], belonging to the [[House Durovera|first Warmaster]], which went missing in 101.M41.''

'''Chorus:''' 
Ah, for just one time I would take the Strayvian Passage 
To find Jacinta's flagship, out wherever it may be 
Tracing one bright line through the Eye so wild and savage 
I'll bring the old Stormchaser back with me

T'was back in three-oh-four the gallant Ulian disappeared 
The Lion of Terra swallowed by the Lash so fierce and feared 
But after these three centuries the Lion's no longer lost 
And I shall find the Stormchaser no matter what the cost

''Chorus''

Though I wasn't born a sailor, I have learned as best I can, 
In Durovera's footsteps, where her conquest first began 
Watching planets rise before me, then behind me sink again 
This tardiest explorer, in the wake of her campaign

''Chorus''

I worked my way up through the ranks and never made a slip 
And after sixty years at last they've given me a ship 
She's barely got a Gellar field, she's rusted through and through 
But the bravest in Prosperitas she counts among her crew

''Chorus''

We've cleared the docks at Strayvia, our course set for the Gate 
We've gone to find the Stormchaser, five hundred years too late 
We'll not return without her, so pray for all our souls 
And think of us when you remember those still on patrol

''Chorus''

Prayer and Liturgy

2023-09-17T22:34:10Z

Hal: fixed numbering of Catechism of Hate

'''OC Notes:''' ''While elements of the Death Unto Darkness setting draw from themes of real-life Catholic and Orthodox practice, players are strongly encouraged to steer away from using prayers and liturgical texts from real-life religious ceremonies.''

''This document represents a few examples of religious litanies and prayers which players may wish to use as part of their roleplay. However, the Prosperitas Sector Ecclesiarchy is vast and made up of a variety of diverse creeds drawn from hundreds of inhabited planets; players are actively encouraged to make up their own material.''

''The God-Emperor is commonly referred to with male, female and singular neutral pronouns across Imperial space. No form is considered more or less reverent by the Ecclesiarchy, though the use of plural forms of address is seen as heterodox at best.''

=== The Basics ===

The Imperial Creed is highly flexible and is tailored by Missionaries to fit the native culture, religion, and practices of whatever world it exists upon. As such, practices adhered to on one world may be held as abhorrent on another. The Ministorum tolerates this vast range of practices and beliefs, as it would be impossible to maintain a complete standardization of the faith across the Imperium.

However, the Ecclesiarchy does enforce basic key tenets:

* The Emperor once walked among humans, but the Emperor is, and always has been, a god.

* The Emperor is the one true god, regardless of what past faiths any human may have worshipped.

* It is the duty of the faithful to purge the heretic, beware the psyker and mutant, and abhor the alien.

* Every human being has a place within the Emperor's divine order.

* It is the duty of the faithful to unquestioningly obey the authority of the Imperial government and one's superiors.
 
<hr>

=== Catechisms of Hate ===
At the Core of the Imperial Creed, the Catechisms of hate define the state-mandated intolerance of the unknown favoured by the Imperium.

# Hate the Xenos. The Xenos is wretched. The Xenos longs to debase humankind. Better a thousand innocent die than the seed of alien-worship corrupt a million. Thus we hate for Terra.
# Hate the Mutant. The Mutant is the offspring of Humanity, but they are a beast. The Mutant’s desires may be pure, but their body can never be pure. Humankind will not be clean until the last is dead. Thus we hate for Terra.
# Hate the Heretic. The Heretic is more vile than either Mutant or Xenos, for they had a choice. They had a choice, and they chose the way of damnation. Even the suspicion of heresy is cause enough to kill. A martyr’s death brings glory to Terra. A heretic’s death brings glory to Terra. Thus we hate for Terra.
# Hate the Traitor. The Traitor is damned, for they have betrayed their humanity. The Traitor is reviled, for they have turned against their faith. The cause of treason is irrelevant. The means of treason are irrelevant. The Traitor is pursued, for their very existence is anathema. Thus we hate for Terra.
 
<hr>

=== Common Imperial Prayer and Litanies ===

The following are common prayers which are found across the Imperium in one form or another.

==== The Litany against the Void: ====
“''O most High and Holy Emperor, I see Your light and feel Your presence. Keep me safe from void and vacuum, and see me home to the glory fields of war.''"

==== The Libation to the Emperor: ====
“''The Emperor is our guiding light, a beacon of hope for humanity in a galaxy of darkness. As we serve Him, He is our greatest servant. As we pray to Him, His thoughts are only for us. And in the dark when the shadows threaten, the Emperor is with us, in spirit and in fact.''”

==== Prayer for the Lost and Endangered: ====
"''Most powerful and glorious Emperor, who commands the winds and eddies of the galaxy; our mortal souls are in peril.''

''We call out unto Thee for aid; save us, or we will perish.''

''We see how terrible and how munificent Thou art; we fear You and offer our awe.''

''We fear naught but Your wrath, and beg a chance to prove ourselves; so let us not die in the tumult of the warp.''"

==== Imperial Lobgesang: ====
“''Love the Emperor, for He is the salvation of Mankind.''

''Obey His words, for He will lead you into the light of the future.''

''Heed His wisdom, for He will protect you from evil.''

''Whisper His prayers with devotion, for they will save your soul.''

''Honour His servants, for they speak in His voice.''

''Tremble before His majesty, for we all walk in His immortal shadow.''”

==== Litany of the Predator: ====
“''Consider the Predator. Let your soul be armoured with Faith, driven on the tracks of Obedience which overcomes all obstacles, and armed with the three great guns of Zeal, Duty and Purity.''”
 
<hr>

=== Prayers and Litanies of the Prosperitas Sector ===

The following are prayers commonly practiced amongst the peoples of the Prosperitas Sector, and not found in the Imperium at large.

==== Meditation on the Holy Truth: ====
“''The God-Emperor is the Holy Truth. They are without fear, They are merciful to Their servants, They are undying. They are beyond births and deaths; They illuminate Themself. They are realised by the truth of Their Faith. The God-Emperor is the Holy Truth.''”

==== Meditation on the Holy Light: ====
“''The God-Emperor is the burning light, the illuminating flame, the cleansing sun. To follow is to be guided, to obey is to be uplifted, to serve is to be saved. One cannot evade the light of Their presence, and nor should one try. Their light is salvation for the righteous, and damnation for the tainted.''”

==== Threnody of St [[Primarchs_and_Imperial_Saints#The_Saints|Khan-hattilik]] of Korimesta: ====
“''And the one who commits this deed and repents not shall reside forever in darkness, far from Their Light.''

''In darkness the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: should one cut off the limbs from their perishable body with knives of brass, yet still worse shall it be.''

''In darkness the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: should one nail their perishable body with nails of brass, yet still worse shall it be.''

''In darkness the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: to wit, that deed which is done, when a human, knowingly lying, confronts the brimstoned, golden, truth-knowing Throne with an appeal unto clemency and a lie unto The Name.''

O Maker of the Galaxy, thou Holy One! The one who, knowingly lying, confronts the brimstoned, golden, ''truth-knowing Throne with an appeal unto clemency and a lie unto The Name, what is the penalty that they shall pay?''

''The Voice answered: 'Damnation.'''”

==== Prayer of St [[Primarchs_and_Imperial_Saints#The_Saints|Leonidas]] of Persephon: ====
"''Gladly pass the souls of the righteous to the Golden Throne of the God-Emperor, to the Golden Throne of Them-on-Terra, to the heavenly abode of the holy ones.''

''As to the righteous human that has been cleansed, the wicked evil-doers tremble in the perfume of their soul after death, as a sheep does on which a wolf is falling.''

''The souls of the righteous are gathered together there: the saints are with them: the souls of the saints are friends unto the righteous.''"

==== Litany of St [[Primarchs_and_Imperial_Saints#The_Saints|Lucas]] of Letifer: ====

''"I am the acid that dissolves impurity''
''I am the poison that weakens the enemy''
I am the fire that burns the heretic, the gas that chokes out doubt.
''All who oppose me will be but dust and ash."''

==== Apologue of the Medicae: ====
“''The Medicae asked the Angel: 'Astartes, most beneficent Angel, Sword of the God-Emperor, thou Holy One! Who was it who first of the healthful, the wise, the happy, the wealthy, the glorious, the strong ones of yore, drove back sickness to sickness, drove back death to death, and first turned away the point of the blade and the fire of fever from the bodies of mortals?'''

''The Angel answered: ‘The GOD-EMPEROR it was who first of the healthful, the wise, the happy, the wealthy, the glorious, the strong ones of yore, drove back sickness to sickness, drove back death to death, and first turned away the point of the blade and the fire of fever from the bodies of mortals.''

'''He asked for a source of remedies; he obtained it by HIS WILL, to withstand sickness and to withstand death, to withstand pain and fever, to withstand the disease, rottenness and infection which HIS enemies had created by their witchcraft to wreak harm against the bodies of His children.''

''And it was by HIS WILL were brought down the healing plants that, by many hundreds, by many thousands, by many myriads, grow up upon all the million fertile worlds of the Galaxy.'''

''To thee, O Sickness, I say avaunt! to thee, O Death, I say avaunt! to thee, O Pain, I say avaunt! to thee, O Fever, I say avaunt! to thee, O Disease, I say avaunt!''

''By HIS WILL I drive away sickness, I drive away death, I drive away pain and fever. By HIS WILL I drive away the disease, rottenness, and infection which HIS enemies have created by their witchcraft to wreak harm against the bodies of mortals.''

''I drive away all manner of diseases and deaths, the plains of the flesh and of the spirit; for by the WILL of the God-Emperor are all things made possible.''”''
 
<hr>

=== Banishing and Abjurations ===

The following are examples of rites and rituals used to ward away the grim things of the warp, or exorcise dangerous things. They are found across the Imperium.

==== Basic Abjuration: ====
“''In the name of the God-Emperor, Them-on-Terra, I command you begone from this place, for there is no welcome for you here.''

''In the name of the God-Emperor, the Holy Truth, I command you cease your iniquity, for the Truth of the Imperium shall cast out all falsehoods.''

''In the name of the God-Emperor, the Light of Humanity, I command you shrink and shrivel from the Name, for the Emperor’s Light shall cast out all shadows.''

''In the name of the God-Emperor, Them-on-Terra, the Holy Truth, the Light of Humanity, I command you begone from this place. I abjure you! I abjure you! Thrice I abjure you: Begone!''”

==== Cleansing: ====
“''Let the holy flames of the Golden Throne visit and scourge this place. Let the righteousness of the God-Emperor reflect and purify this ground; let no evildoers step within. Let the Emperor’s Light and the shelter of His Wings inhabit and elevate this place, and let it be a beacon unto the faithful.''”
 
<hr>

=== Prayers Before Battle ===
These are some of the common prayers spoken by members of the Imperial military before a battle.

==== Favoured as a call-and-response among Prosperitan Imperial Guard regiments: ====

"''God-Emperor, look with favour upon these Your servants.''

''God-Emperor, look with favour upon we your servants.''

''Make of them the instruments of Your wrath.''

''Make of us the instruments of your wrath.''

''Let their hearts be armoured in Your hatred.''

''Let our hearts be armoured in Your hatred.''

''Ave Imperator!''

''Ave Imperator!''"

==== A High Gothic prayer before a dangerous voyage or naval battle: ====
“''Beneficia autem Dei per Ipsum, hoc est, in tutum in omni terra sumus ferri portum et divino lumine veritatis.''”

==== Battle-Prayer of St Nafisa the Martyr: ====
"''I invoke the holy Galaxy, made by Them-on-Terra.''

''I invoke the earth made by Them-on-Terra, the water made by Them, the holy trees.''

''I invoke the sea, I invoke the shining sky. I invoke the eternal and sovereign luminous space. I invoke the comet and the stardust, the asteroid and the solar wind.''

''I invoke the bright, all glorious, blissful abode of Them-on-Terra.''

''Let Them be worshipped with sacrifice, let Them be gladdened, gratified, and satisfied: the holy God-Emperor, the tall-formed, fiend-smiting Deus Imperator.''

''Bring libations unto the fire, bring hard wood unto the fire, bring rare incense unto the fire.''

''Offer up the sacrifice to the eternal flame which smites the mutant and cleanses the heretic.''

''Offer up the sacrifice to the holy God-Emperor, that with Their strength we may smite down upon the xenos; that we may fall upon the heretic, the wicked, the slothful ones, who live in sin; that we may cleanse the mutant from our midst with holy flame.''"

==== Litany of Purity ====

''"By the Emperor's might, may I be warded. From the choking fumes, may He deliver me. From the scorching tongues, may He protect me. That I may protect His works.

''Shielded by my faith, I fear not flame, I fear not poison, I fear not plague.

''May this holy water cleanse my skin; may this ritual cleanse my soul.

''I am an imperfect child of the Emperor, I cast out the abhorrent filth, and make myself worthy of Him.

''Ave Imperator."''

 
<hr>

=== Blessings ===

==== Blessing for those undertaking arduous duties: ====
“''O Holy Emperor, watch over Your servants. The path of the faithful is not easy, yet in Your name it must be walked; the burdens of service are not light, yet in Your name they shall be borne. Be Thou the star in our darkness; the light that shows truth and the beacon of home. Be Thou the guide and the guardian, the scourge and the saviour. For in Your name, what must be done, shall be done.''”

==== Blessing for food: ====
"''O Holy Emperor, we draw our strength from that which we consume in Thy blessed Name; as we draw strength from the salvation of Thy cleansing flame. Purify Thou that which sustains us with the Glory of Thy Holy Light. Scourge it of all taint, cleanse it of all contamination; let it be neither despoiled nor decayed. For we, Your instruments, are weak flesh, but Your Throne is Eternal.''"

==== Blessing for good news: ====
"''Glory be to the God-Emperor, for the Righteous shall have their reward. All praise to the Throne of Terra, for the Faithful shall see their triumph. Blessed be this day of days, for there are marvels in the land, and the marvels are His Signs. For in His Sight all promises are kept, all transgressions punished, and all faithful souls find Glory in His Name. Glory be to the God Emperor; it is right and just that we should praise Him, for all that is good comes through His Will.''"

==== Blessing for the start of a voyage: ====
"''In our comings and our goings, we turn to You; for You are all seeing and Your judgement is upon us. In our beginnings and our endings, we think upon You; for You know our hearts, and Your judgement is upon us. Though we journey through the infinite cold of the void, Your Wrath shall be a beacon of heat and light to guide us into safe docking. Though we journey through the very Chaos of the Warp, You shall be our shield and our protection against corruption. Our faith shall keep us pure in Your Sight. In our comings and our goings, we turn to You; for You stand in Judgement, that the Corrupt shall fall into nothingness, and the Righteous shall come home.''"

<hr>

=== Prayers for the Fallen ===

==== Last Rites ====
“''Only in death does duty end; and now yours at last has ended.''

''Turn your gaze to the light of Holy Terra; to Him that sits the Golden Throne.''

''To Him we all return in time.''

''Cast off the chains that bound you to this life; both those you chose, and those that you did not.''

''For a body may be chained, and a mind may be enslaved to another's will; but the soul owes allegiance only unto Him.''

''Ave atque vale, [___]. Go now to Him; for he will know your heart and judge you by it, however ill-used you have been.''

''Ave Imperator; great is your grace and great your mercy.''

''Receive this soul with kindness, and accept him as Your own.''”

==== Last Rite for the Fallen Soldier ====
“''''We stand the last watch for our (sister/brother/sibling)''

''Who has fallen in His service.''

''Holy God-Emperor, we beg of thee''

''Take this (person/man/woman) who has lived and died righteously in fear and love of Thee''

''To Thy right hand where they may bask forever in Thy glory.''

''We honour them and all who fall in Thy service''

''And pray for Thy mercy for ourselves.''

''We salute our (sister/brother/sibling) and see them shine in glory''

''Beckoning us ahead on the path of duty''

''To where He awaits us.''

''Their duty is done.''

''Ave Imperator!''''”

==== A Last Rite, sometimes used for those whose purity is in doubt ====
“''O Imperator, in nomine tuo, may these souls sunk in sin be delivered to Your grace. Let those who have fallen and faltered in Your service be cleansed by Your burning flame, as Your wings shelter the just. Deus-Imperator, qui vincit laruae omnes, eis miserere; Holy Emperor, who conquers all creatures of evil, have mercy upon them. As we frail and sinful mortals may not presume to righteously judge these souls, let their sins be revealed by Your Wisdom; and if their deaths cleanse and make them worthy, gather them into Your light. The Emperor Protects!''”
 
<hr>

=== Confession ===

''Within the Imperium, there is no such thing as confidential confession, any penance assigned is a legally binding punishment as the Priesthood possesses the legal right to judge and convict religious criminals. The ritual that follows is simply the formalised manner in which the Ecclesiarchy receives the confession of those willing to surrender to the mercy of the Priesthood.''

'''Confessor:''' "''We spea sub rosa; may my eyes and ears be His, and may my tongue speak only as He wills. [Son/Daughter/Child] of the Creed, speak thou and be heard, for He is with us.''"

'''Confessee:''' "''Imperator miserere, for I have sinned; I come before you as a penitent.''"

'''Confessor:''' "''Penitent, I sit before you as a candle. That light that burns before you is Their light, and you sit with Them. The Emperor loves you, sinner, as She loves all humanity. Speak of your sin, so that it might be laid naked and you might be judged.''"

 
<hr>

=== Absolution ===

Absolution is delivered upon release of the transgressor from the Penant sentence, in the case of the severity of sentences this is often delivered posthumously.

==== Absolution for the Redeemed ====
“''We live only at His sufferance; to whom can we reach for guidance? Only to you, o Emperor, who are justly angry at our failings. Shut not your ears to our prayers, but spare us; turn not your gaze from our suffering, but forgive us; where our human failings cause us to fall short of our duty, grant thy strength to lead us to your light."''

''[Son/Daughter/Child] of the Creed, of the Imperium of Humanity, hear me; your sins are confessed, your repentance is sincere, your penance has been [mighty and heartfelt / equal to your sins]. In the midst of all our darkness, there is light; for He is our beacon in the night. His grace, our strength and our salvation; His mercy, our forgiveness and redemption; His truth, our blessing and our path. Though you have erred, to Him you have returned.''

''Igitur ab vitiis tuis te abluo, in nomine Imperatoris et imperio ipsius''"

==== Absolution for the Dead ====
"''Hear me, O Emperor; before You we lay our naked souls, our hopes and fears and sins, in the hope of Your mercy and the certainty of Your judgement. Look not unkindly on our frailties, for despite them we are Yours; with every temptation rejected and every sin repented of and set aside, we come closer to Your perfection.''

''Hear me then now, Father of Mankind; I say to You, this [man/woman/one] is Yours, Your servant and Your child. [His/Her/Their] tribulations have been many and [his/her/their] sufferings been great, yet though the Enemy sets thorns and snares about [his/her/their] path, [he/she/they] walk[s] it yet towards Your light. Grant [him/her/them] Thy mercy and forgiveness, Lord of All, accept [him/her/them] as Your own; recognise [him/her/them] as Your servant in the living world today; and in the hour of [his/her/their] death, O Lord, call [him/her/them] home to Your side.''

''Hear me, Child of the Creed: walk in His light. Go forth with heart uplifted and do His work, for He is with you as He is with all mankind. Fear not to die, for He awaits thy soul; fear not to live, for He has work for thee.''"

Calls

2023-03-02T15:44:54Z

Hal:

=== OC SAFETY CALLS ===
You must never use ANY of these calls for an IC purpose as they have distinct uses for indicating situations where there is OOC danger to an individual.

==== TIME IN! ====
Indicates that an area has become 'live' and in-character. Please cease any disruptive OOC activities or leave the area if you must continue them - otherwise assume the role of your character.

==== TIME FREEZE! ====
Indicates that you are to drop OOC immediately. ''Unless there is a personal safety reason not to do so'' stay exactly where you are, close your eyes, and do your best to ignore anything going on around you.

==== TIME OUT! ====
The game is over. You should drop OOC.

==== SAFETY! ====
Is used to indicate that while nobody has been hurt, there is an emerging safety hazard, and the game needs to be stopped for a Ref to intervene. '''Stay where you are unless you are in danger or unless told to move by a member of the game team.''' Once the danger is resolved '''TIME IN!''' will be called.

==== MAN DOWN! ====
Is used to indicate that someone is in need of OOC medical assistance. '''Stop what you are doing immediately, and ensure other players and crew do so as well.''' Be aware of your surroundings, move to allow first aiders access to the individual(s), and ensure you give space where told to. Once the situation is resolved '''TIME IN!''' will be called.

==== RED ====
'''RED''' should be used to indicate that you are OOC extremely uncomfortable with the scene, and indicates to all participants to stop and move away from the subject matter being used/discussed.

==== AMBER ====
'''AMBER''' indicates to others that you are becoming OOC uncomfortable with the subject matter and that they should be careful or back off from a subject to allow you to settle.

==== GREEN ====
'''GREEN''' can be used to indicate to others that you are OOC comfortable and happy to continue with a subject.

==== STOP THE GAME ====
If you are overwhelmed or completely unable to deal with a subject and need to bring an immediate end to it, you may call '''STOP THE GAME''' at any point. At this point all participants should cease roleplay to allow the participant in question to remove themselves from the play area and talk to a ref. The refs will call '''TIME IN!''' once it is appropriate to do so.

----

=== MODIFIER CALLS ===
These calls are important as they indicate how a call affects you.

==== MASS ====
Accompanying a Single Target or Cone call, this changes the area of effect to hit everyone within five meters of the source, or the target if there is one. If you are not the target, and you have '''[[Combat and Injury|Cover]]''' between yourself and the source/target, you do not need to take this call.

==== WARP ====
This call originates from something of the Warp, whether a psychic power, a Daemonic blade, or something else of that nature. Any accompanying calls or uncalled melee blows affect you as normal. You '''cannot''' call '''Deflect''' against Warp '''calls''' unless you have a skill which specifically states otherwise.

==== SANCTIC ====
'''Ignore all attached calls unless briefed otherwise''' (Melee blows whose calls are ignored become uncalled melee.) You can '''call''' '''Deflect''' against '''Sanctic''' calls unless briefed otherwise.

----

=== SINGLE TARGET DAMAGE CALLS ===
''These calls cause damage as per the [[Combat and Injury]] Section to a single target.''

==== BLAM ====
Lose a point of Endurance and react as if you have been shot with a lasbolt or normal bullet.

==== REND ====
Lose 2 Endurance and react as if you have been hit by a more powerful bolt of energy or bullet.

==== BOLT or CLEAVE ====
Lose 3 Endurance and react as if you have been hit by a rocket propelled bullet or death ray beam or weapon that carves through flesh and armour like butter.

'''If you are reduced to 0 Endurance by this call''', you cannot benefit from '''Get it Together''' until you have received [[Medical Treatment|Triage]]; and you automatically suffer a complication when a '''Medicae''' or '''Chirugeon''' performs Triage on you.

==== SUNDER ====
Drop to 0 Endurance and become '''Bloodied''' - you cannot benefit from '''Get it Together''' until you have received [[Medical Treatment|Triage]]. You automatically suffer a '''complication''' when a Medicae or Chirugeon performs Triage on you.

This call may only be used '''once''', regardless of how many sources of it you may have, before you have to [[Recuperate]].

==== I AM A KNIFE IN THE DARK ====
Drop to 0 Endurance and become '''Bloodied''' as quietly as possible - you cannot benefit from '''Get it Together''' until you have received [[Medical Treatment|Triage]]. You automatically suffer a '''complication''' when a '''Medicae''' or '''Chirugeon''' performs Triage on you. You are unconscious until you receive [[First Aid]], this means that certain traits that allow you to do things while '''Bloodied''' may not be able to be used.

----

=== CONE DAMAGE CALLS ===
These calls represent weapons that spray damage across a wide area in front of them they are considered to hit all individuals in front of the source as jets of flame or streams of bullet are spat forth by the weapon.

==== BURN ====
If you are within <5m of the source - lose 3 Endurance and react as if you have been hit by a gout of flame. If you are reduced to 0 Endurance you become '''Bloodied''' but flail around for 10s on fire before you fall over, and cannot benefit from '''Get it Together''' until you have received [[Medical Treatment#Triage|Triage]]; and you automatically suffer a complication when a '''Medicae''' or '''Chirugeon''' performs Triage on you.

==== DAKKA ====
If you are within earshot of this call and can clearly see the source or have this called against you lose 3 Endurance unless you fall '''prone''' after hearing the call, or unless have a piece of Cover between yourself and the source of the call.

----

=== MASS DAMAGE CALLS ===
''These calls represent those which cause area of effect damage, hitting all foes within 5m of the called target or a specific point.''

==== BOOM ====
Lose 3 Endurance. You are thrown away from the source of the explosion - you must either stagger away from the source for 5s or fall and remain prone on the floor for 5s. If you are not the target and have [[Combat and Injury|Cover]] between yourself and the source/target, you may ignore this call.

<hr>

=== CALLS WITH STATUS EFFECTS ===
''These calls do not cause damage, but instead force a specific reaction, or impose a mechanical or roleplaying effect on the target.''

==== SHOCK ====
You are stunned for 5s, during which you cannot move, attack, or make calls. You cannot be affected by this call or '''Weaken''' again during the duration of the effect, or for 3s after you recover.

==== WEAKEN ====
You are disoriented and weakened for 5s, during which you cannot move, attack, or make calls. You cannot be affected by this call or '''Shock''' again during the duration of the effect, or for 3s after you recover.

==== HAYWIRE ====
Your technological equipment ceases to function for 10s, during which you cannot make ranged calls or any calls originating from technology you are carrying. You cannot be affected by this call again during the duration of the effect, or for 3s after you recover.

If you have any [[Bionic Traits]], then during this period you cannot move, attack, or make calls, and must instead spasm violently. This is optional if your character has costume bionics but no traits.

==== KNOCKBACK ====
You are hit with a blast from a shotgun or a powerful blow. For the duration you must either stagger away from the source for 5s, or fall and remain prone on the floor for 5s.

==== GET IT TOGETHER ====
If you are NOT '''Bloodied''' you regain your Endurance pool.

If you ARE '''Bloodied''' you may get back to your feet with your Endurance set to half its maximum (rounding up).

You '''cannot''' benefit from this call if you were reduced to 0 Endurance by '''BOLT''', '''BURN''', '''SUNDER''' or '''I AM A KNIFE IN THE DARK'''.

==== I’M TAKING YOU, ALIVE! ====
The player or crew member attacking you intends to capture rather than kill you. After a period of roleplay, you become '''Subdued''' if you were '''Bleeding'''. Can only be used on characters considered to be foes and therefore cannot be used as a way to heal allies.

==== WOULD YOU KINDLY? ====
'''You are not aware that this has been used on you unless you resist it'''. If affected, you must obey the command, even if it is fatal to your character. You will follow this '''Cue''' either to completion of the task issued, or for 30s, whichever is shorter.

==== COMMAND OVERRIDE ====
Your mechanical components and wargear are being hacked. If affected, you must obey the command, even if it is fatal to your character. If you are the target, your interfaced bionics force you to undertake the task. If your wargear is targeted then it will behave appropriately. Either way, the target will follow this '''Cue''' to completion of the task issued, or for 30s, whichever is shorter.

==== YOUR SOUL/SANITY IS TESTED! ====
If '''Soul''' is used you should increase your '''Corruption''' one step, for more details see [[Corruption and Faith]]

If '''Sanity''' is used you should become '''Shaken''' and if already '''Shaken''', then you should '''Descend into Madness''' for more details see [[Madness]]

<hr>

=== OTHER CUES ===
''These calls have no immediate damaging effects but do have a direct influence on a character's roleplay, as they cue appropriate reactions to their use.''

==== DEFLECT ====
Indicates that a call has been heard by the target but it has been defended against in some way by a '''limited''' resource - or that the target has a specific weakness that must be undermined to damage it. This '''must''' be called immediately in response to a call if it is drawn from a limited pool.

==== INEFFECTIVE====
Indicates that a call has been heard by the target but cannot affect it at all. This does not need to be called in response to every call - just occasionally, to make it clear a call is having no discernible effect.

==== SCAN ====
This call represents someone using an auspex or (if accompanied by WARP) a Psyker using their extrasensory perception to see the unseen.

If you hear this call you must respond by loudly shouting '''PING'''. If it is accompanied by WARP then, if you are a '''Psyker''', you must respond PSYKER instead.

When this call is not accompanied by WARP you can avoid calling PING by being in cover and unmoving at the time the call was made (jumping into cover just before someone calls it is not considered fair play).

[[Category:Rules]]

Calls

2023-03-02T15:44:35Z

Hal:

Conclave Updates

2023-03-02T15:35:36Z

Hal: Replaced content with "Plot Updates"

[[Plot Updates]]

Prosperitas Sector Reports

2023-03-02T15:35:27Z

Hal: Replaced content with "Plot Updates"

[[Plot Updates]]

Prosperitas Gazetteer

2023-03-02T15:35:16Z

Hal: Redirected page to Plot Updates

#REDIRECT [[Plot Updates]]

MediaWiki:Tweeki-navbar-left

2023-03-02T15:34:51Z

Hal:

The Game,
* System Policies and Ethos
* How to Book and Play
* Campaign Events
* Tales Events
* Look and Feel
* Attending DuD during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Core Rules,
* Calls
* Combat and Injury
* Player Character Conflict
* Wargear
* Resources
* Recuperation and Observances
* Lore
* Investigations
* Madness
* Corruption and Faith
* Downtime
* Rules Changelog

Special Rules,
* Power Tests
* Medical Treatment (Medicae & Chirugeons)
* Exorcism (Exorcists)
* Psychic Powers (Psykers)
* Technoarcana (Tech Priests)
* Decks and Lore Downloads

Character Creation,
* Building a Character
* Your Character's Background
* Starting Stats and Abilities
* Picking your Traits
* Character Advancement
* Traits Index
* Ranged Combat Traits
* Close Combat Traits
* Defensive Traits
* Combat Support Traits
* Willpower Traits
* Professional Traits
* Bionic Traits

Setting,
* An Age of Ignorance - READ FIRST
* Reading the Wiki - READ SECOND
* Life in the Imperium
* The Prosperitas Sector
* Geography of the Sector
* Factions of the Prosperitas Sector
* Prosperitas Dramatis Personae
* Threats of the Prosperitas Sector
* The Story So Far
* Plot Updates

Contact

Reading the Wiki

2023-03-02T15:33:29Z

Hal:

This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events.

=== Must Read ===

The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event.

* [[System Policies and Ethos]] - these pages include expectations for how you should behave at Death Unto Darkness events, and a social contract we ask you to abide by.
* '''Core Rules''' - the pages under the "Core Rules" menu are important to understand how the mechanics of the game work. Even if you are only crewing a game, you must read the [[Calls]] and [[Combat and Injury]] pages.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] contains important detail about the expected level of knowledge for a starting character.
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]] includes a basic summary of information about the IC location of the campaign, and links to pages with more detail about aspects of geography, ethnicity and culture if you want to explore them.

=== Should Read ===

These pages are useful to read so that you can understand the wider setting and context our games happens in.

* The [[Life in the Imperium]] page contains an overview of daily life for residents of the Death Unto Darkness universe and are useful to help write your character's background.
* All Imperial characters are familiar with the basics of the [[The Imperial Faith]].
* If you are playing an educated character, then you should read pages relating to your field of specialisation; for example, if you playing are a detective or criminal type then [[Law and Order]] might be relevant.
* You should skim the [[Dramatis Personae]] and can use it as a reference to look up any important NPCs you might come across in play.
* [[The Story So Far]] contains links to pages which summarise events in the Death Unto Darkness campaign up until now.
* You should read the pages under the '''Character Creation''' menu, starting with [[Building a Character]], if you intend to play a character at a Death Unto Darkness [[Campaign Event]] or [[Tales Event]].

=== Could Read ===

These pages are optional, but useful for players and crew looking to round out their knowledge of the setting.

* If you have access to a [[Lore]] skill, you can [[Contact]] the Game Team to be provided with a document which covers the basic reading for any individual educated with one of those important areas of lore.
* If you are playing an Ecclesiarchy character, then you could read about [[The Ecclesiarchy]] and its various [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|factions in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a military or ex-military character, you could read about [[The_Prosperitas_Crusade_and_High_Command|The Prosperitas Crusade]].
* If you are playing a follower of the Omnissiah, you could read about [[The Machine Cult]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Mechanicus_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Mechanicus in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are a noble or high society character, you could read about [[The Imperial Nobility]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Noble_Houses_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a character with special traits such as a [[Psyker]], [[Tech-Priest]], [[Exorcist]], [[Medicae]] or [[Chirurgeon]], you will find rules which are relevant to you under the '''Special Rules''' menu.

Reading the Wiki

2023-03-02T15:32:49Z

Hal:

This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events.

=== Must Read ===

The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event.

* [[System Policies and Ethos]] - these pages include expectations for how you should behave at Death Unto Darkness events, and a social contract we ask you to abide by.
* '''Core Rules''' - the pages under the "Core Rules" menu are important to understand how the mechanics of the game work. Even if you are only crewing a game, you must read the [[Calls]] and [[Combat and Injury]] pages.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] contains important detail about the expected level of knowledge for a starting character.
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]] includes a basic summary of information about the IC location of the campaign, and links to pages with more detail about aspects of geography, ethnicity and culture if you want to explore them.

=== Should Read ===

These pages are useful to read so that you can understand the wider setting and context our games happens in.

* The [[Life in the Imperium]] page contains an overview of daily life for residents of the Death Unto Darkness universe and are useful to help write your character's background.
* All Imperial characters are familiar with the basics of the [[The Imperial Faith]].
* If you are playing an educated character, then you should read pages relating to your field of specialisation; for example, if you playing are a detective or criminal type then [[Law and Order]] might be relevant.
* You should skim the [[Dramatis Personae]] and can use it as a reference to look up any important NPCs you might come across in play.
* [[The Story So Far]] contains links to pages which summarise events in the Death Unto Darkness campaign up until now.
* You should read the pages under the '''Character Creation''' menu, starting with [[Building a Character]], if you intend to play a character at a Death Unto Darkness [[Campaign Event]] or [[Tales Event]].

=== Could Read ===

These pages are optional, but useful for players and crew looking to round out their knowledge of the setting.

* If you have access to a [[Lore]] skill, you can [[Contact]] the Game Team to be provided with a document which covers the basic reading for any individual educated with one of those important areas of lore.
* If you are playing an Ecclesiarchy character, then you could read about [[The Ecclesiarchy]] and its various [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|factions in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a military or ex-military character, you could read about [[The_Prosperitas_Crusade_and_High_Command|The Prosperitas Crusade]].
* If you are playing a follower of the Omnissiah, you could read about [[The Machine Cult]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Mechanicus_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Mechanicus in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are a noble or high society character, you could read about [[The Imperial Nobility]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Noble_Houses_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a character with special traits such as a [[Psyker]], [[Tech-Priest]], [[Exorcist]], [[Medicae]], [[Chirurgeon]] or someone with a [[Scan]] call, you will find rules which are relevant to you under the '''Special Rules''' menu.

The Story So Far

2023-03-02T15:29:49Z

Hal:

This page contains updates on the Death Unto Darkness campaign released by the Game Team.

* '''You do not need to memorise all of this information'''. It is helpful to have an overview of the campaign background. If you are a new player, you may find it easier to involve yourself in ongoing plot if you have an understanding of the campaign context. You can find a summary of the first six events in [[Campaign 1 - Part 1]].
* '''You may assume your character has access to the IC documents below'''. The "Sector Updates" and "Conclave Updates" represent IC text which your character has access to through Inquisition archives.

=== Prosperitas Sector Reports ===

These are IC reports produced by NPC agents of the [[Prosperitas Conclave]] and published to all Acolytes.

* [[Sector Report I]] – Covering 586-590.M41
* [[Sector Report II]] – Covering Early-Mid 592.M41
* [[Sector Report II.5 Polarnus]] – Covering the Weeping Eye capture of Polarnus Station
* [[Sector Report II.5 Nivalis]] – Covering the Archenemy siege of Nivalis
* [[Sector Report III]] – Covering Late 592.M41 to early 593.M41
* [[Sector Report IV]] – Covering early 593.M41
* [[Sector Report V]] – Covering Early-Mid 593.M41
* [[Sector Report VI]] – Covering Mid 593.M41
* [[Sector Report VII]] – Covering Late 593.M41
* [[Sector Report VIII]] – Covering Early-to-Mid 594.M41
* [[Sector Report IX]] - Covering Late 594.M41 to Mid-595.M41
* [[Sector Report X]] - Covering Late 597.M41 following the [[Silence]]

=== Conclave Updates ===

Conclave Updates are sporadically sent out as requests for information, judgements and other details sent Astropathically to all servants of the Inquisition within the Prosperitas Sector. They come from the Conclave of Inquisitors who form the [[Ordos Prosperitas]], the combined body of the Inquisition within the Prosperitas Sector.

* [[Post-E8 Conclave Update]] - issued early 598.M41

=== Prosperitas Gazetteer ===

These are narratives which trailer future plots and provide colour and flavour about incidents across the Sector. They are written by the Game Team. They do not represent IC information your character has access to.

*[[Gazetteer I]] - Dark Crusade
*[[Gazetteer II]] - Hope
*[[Gazetteer III]] – The Die is Cast
*[[Gazetteer IV]] – Seas of Lerwick
*[[Gazetteer V]] – A Candlemass Story
*[[Gazetteer VI]] – Polarnus Rising
*[[Gazetteer VII]] - A Warmaster's Return
*[[Gazetteer VIII]] - The Heresiarch
*[[Gazetteer IX]] - Within the Silence

The Story So Far

2023-03-02T15:28:01Z

Hal: Created page with "This page contains updates on the Death Unto Darkness campaign released by the Game Team. * '''You do not need to memorise all of this information'''. It is helpful to have an overview of the campaign background. If you are a new player, you may find it easier to involve yourself in ongoing plot if you have an understanding of the campaign context. You can find a summary of Campaign Events 1-6 in Campaign 1 - Part 1. * '''You may assume your character has acces..."

This page contains updates on the Death Unto Darkness campaign released by the Game Team.

* '''You do not need to memorise all of this information'''. It is helpful to have an overview of the campaign background. If you are a new player, you may find it easier to involve yourself in ongoing plot if you have an understanding of the campaign context. You can find a summary of [[Campaign Events]] 1-6 in [[Campaign 1 - Part 1]].
* '''You may assume your character has access to the IC documents below'''. The "Sector Updates" and "Conclave Updates" represent IC text which your character has access to through Inquisition archives.

=== Prosperitas Sector Reports ===

These are IC reports produced by NPC agents of the [[Prosperitas Conclave]] and published to all Acolytes.

* [[Sector Report I]] – Covering 586-590.M41
* [[Sector Report II]] – Covering Early-Mid 592.M41
* [[Sector Report II.5 Polarnus]] – Covering the Weeping Eye capture of Polarnus Station
* [[Sector Report II.5 Nivalis]] – Covering the Archenemy siege of Nivalis
* [[Sector Report III]] – Covering Late 592.M41 to early 593.M41
* [[Sector Report IV]] – Covering early 593.M41
* [[Sector Report V]] – Covering Early-Mid 593.M41
* [[Sector Report VI]] – Covering Mid 593.M41
* [[Sector Report VII]] – Covering Late 593.M41
* [[Sector Report VIII]] – Covering Early-to-Mid 594.M41
* [[Sector Report IX]] - Covering Late 594.M41 to Mid-595.M41
* [[Sector Report X]] - Covering Late 597.M41 following the [[The Story So Far (Campaign 1 Part 1)|Silence]]

=== Conclave Updates ===

Conclave Updates are sporadically sent out as requests for information, judgements and other details sent Astropathically to all servants of the Inquisition within the Prosperitas Sector. They come from the Conclave of Inquisitors who form the [[Ordos Prosperitas]], the combined body of the Inquisition within the Prosperitas Sector.

* [[Post-E8 Conclave Update]] - issued early 598.M41.

=== Prosperitas Gazetteer ===

These are narratives which trailer future plots and provide colour and flavour about incidents across the Sector. They are written by the Game Team. They do not represent IC information your character has access to.

*[[Gazetteer I]] - Dark Crusade
*[[Gazetteer II]] - Hope
*[[Gazetteer III]] – The Die is Cast
*[[Gazetteer IV]] – Seas of Lerwick
*[[Gazetteer V]] – A Candlemass Story
*[[Gazetteer VI]] – Polarnus Rising
*[[Gazetteer VII]] - A Warmaster's Return
*[[Gazetteer VIII]] - The Heresiarch
*[[Gazetteer IX]] - Within the Silence

Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector

2023-03-02T15:22:47Z

Hal:

This page contains a timeline of events in the Prosperitas Sector from before its foundation to the start of the Death Unto Darkness campaign in 595.M41. You can read more about events since that date in [[The Story So Far]].

== Pre-M41 ==

=== Mid-M25 - Early Human Settlement of the Prosperitas Sector - ===

Archaeological and archival evidence suggests that humanity first arrived in the Sector in mid-M25. It is presumed these craft were early warp vessels, or perhaps sleeper vessels, travelling on sublight drives - little is known about this early settlement. Scholars have long attempted to study the older native archives of the sector but many of these were destroyed during [[Regency]] occupation.

=== M25-M29 - The Age of Strife - ===

Warp storms cause massive rifts in real and warp space making space travel nearly impossible and cutting off entire regions. On Terra, civilization regresses as techno-barbarians fight for survival and for dominion of the wasteland that was once a green and wonderful Earth.

=== M30-M31 - The Great Crusade - ===

The Emperor unites Holy Terra and sets out across the Galaxy, founding the Imperium in His name. At some stage during this period, fragmentary records point to the unification and official designation of the Prosperitas Sector as a sector of the newborn Imperium. The names and titles of those responsible for its foundation are unavailable due to corruption in Crusade-era data recorders. It is uncertain how long initial Imperial contact with the Prosperitas Sector lasted, but it was long enough for the surviving maps within the Archives of Terra to have been created.

=== M31 - The Horus Heresy - ===

The Emperor and his nine [[Primarchs]] are opposed by the Arch-Heretic, Horus, one of nine Daemons in the service of the [[Archenemy]], Chaos. In the resulting war Terra is besieged and, through a combination of destroyed charts and shifting warp tides, the Prosperitas Sector becomes one of the forgotten, lost regions of the galaxy. Local legends suggest that invading forces came from the Eye of Terror and took worlds in the Easternmost regions of the sector. From amongst these, a dark follower of the Archdaemon Horus was appointed to rule the sector - and so began a period (and government) that would last between M.31 and early M.41. This was known as the Regency.

=== M31-013.M41 - The Regency - ===

The Imperium specifically destroyed the majority of archives detailing the history of the so-called ‘[[Regency]]’, the [[Archenemy]]-aligned occupying government that ruled the Sector in the absence of the Emperor’s Light. What is known is that it laboured in the foolish belief that Horus won the Battle of Terra.

For over ten millennia the Sector was ruled by a ‘Regent of the Emperor’, an [[Archenemy]] tyrant. There is significant evidence of native resistance during this period, which is why a considerable number of native populations have been spared immediate extermination in the years since reconquest of the Sector has begun.

Most of the history of the Regency period was lost by extensive purges by the Holy Ordos and the Imperium, but some knowledge of this period was recorded by the native human inhabitants. Both the [[Annwfyn]] and [[Ruwwad]] were placed under the dominion of the invading forces under the so-called Regent of the Warmaster, and rule of the sector's worlds fell to various Priest-Kings of a heretical religion known as the '''Covenant of the Way''', the strongest of whom would be the next Regent. During this period, the sector was not particularly stable. Both the Annwfyn and Ruwwad have a history of resistance (which has, in some problematic instances, continued under Imperial rule) and many worlds were already independent of the Regency when the Imperium first arrived.

== 000 to 100.M41 ==

=== 009.M41 - The arrival of the Durovera Expedition - ===

A fleet of Imperial ships led by Rogue Trader [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]], in search of a new passage to the Cadia Sector through the minor warp storms surrounding that sector, discovers a stable warp passage from Segmentum Solar into the Prosperitas Sector. There, she discovers a stable Sector occupied by a people who believe she has come as an emissary of the Emperor on Terra.

Affairs are cordial until Durovera’s reception on [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], when the ‘Emperor's Regent’ rolls out banners displaying the Eye of Horus, deeply heretical to the Imperial delegation. Despite herself, Durovera masters her doubts and remains cordial, and the unsuspecting Regent goes through formalities oblivious of how the Sector has been misled.

Returning to her ships, Durovera takes advantage of the fact that she has the benefit of surprise and launches an immediate bombardment of the [[Regency]]'s government buildings, before ordering the ground forces accompanying her fleet to launch an all-out attack on the sector capital. After a successful conquest of the capital, the Rogue Trader hunkers down, sends astropathic messages to Terra requesting assistance and prepares to weather the coming counter-attack and siege by the Regency Fleet.

=== 013.M41 - 101.M41 - The Prosperitas Crusade Begins - ===

Four years after [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]] conquered [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], Imperial forces arrive there to relieve the Rogue Trader. They bring with them heralds of the High Lords of Terra, who proclaim Durovera to be Warmaster of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]]. Armed with astro-navigational knowledge she has plundered from [[Regency]] data vaults beneath the surface of [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], Durovera launches a lightning campaign against several major staging worlds for Regency forces, crippling much of the Regency Fleet, and what little nominal leadership survived her attack on the capital.

She is supported by numerous forces including the nomad Titans of [[The Taghmata Omnissiah|Legio Ferraeus]], to whom she grants the Forge World that will eventually come to bear their [[Ferraeus|name]]. In addition, she is supported by local fighters known as the [[The Rising Flame|Rising Flame]] who have fought an armed if nebulous resistance against the Regency for millennia.

In her later years as Warmaster, Durovera became obsessed with hunting down the flagship of the Regency fleet, the ancient Gloriana-class battleship ''Manifest Destiny''. From her flagship, the Nemesis-class fleet carrier ''Stormchaser'', the Warmaster hunts the huge warship down over a series of engagements, damaging it heavily with waves of fighter craft.

The ''Stormchaser'' is last seen translating to warp without her flagship’s escorts, and no sign is ever seen of her or Jacinta Durovera again; however, the ''Manifest Destiny'' is discovered several months later bearing heavy damage and with all onboard dead or evacuated. It is brought under tow back to Legio Venia and remains there undergoing re-sanctification. When Durovera is eventually declared missing in action by Crusade High Command, the vessel is re-christened ''Iron Lady'' and Legio Venia is officially renamed [[Duroverum]], in honour of the fallen Warmaster. [[House Durovera]] are granted the seat of Sector Governor by right of blood, and one of the Warmaster’s cousins takes the throne.

== 100-300.M41 ==

=== 101-196.M41 - The Crusade Stalls and the Strife - ===

Without an obvious heir to the Warmaster, [[Crusade]] progress stalls, and the lack of guidance as to how to divide the holdings already taken by the Crusade fragments the alliances formed by [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]] in her quest to take the Prosperitas Sector. Terran nobles and their families, who were promised riches and worlds to establish themselves beyond the reach of their parents, war amongst themselves, and military commanders bicker over their rights of control over the Imperial parts of the Prosperitas Sector.

Though the Imperium has a hold over most of Subsector Primus and has broken most of the [[Regency]]'s greatest armies, local populations are found to be non-compliant - either dogmatically continuing to follow the [[The_Archenemy#The_Old_Ways|heretical religion]] practiced by the Regency or being of [[Annwfyn]] or [[Ruwwad]] descent and difficult to control. In perhaps the greatest reversal of Jacinta's policies, Imperial commanders decide that the [[The Rising Flame|Rising Flame]] are dangerous and must be snuffed out. The insurgents realize the threat too late and the Imperium is able to deal devastating blows to the rebellion before it can withdraw and hide from persecution; this 'betrayal' turns the focus of the Flame away from the Regency and begins hundreds of years of resistance against the Imperium.

An assembly of Witch Hunters from the Ordo Hereticus arrive in 142.M41, forming the first iteration of the [[The Prosperitas Conclave|the Prosperitas Conclave]] of the Inquisition. Witch-pyres burn hot, with entire heretic populations put to the flame. While military leaders squabble amongst themselves, the Inquisitors of the Ordo Hereticus make themselves busy, spreading across the sector. Some travel beyond Imperial lines even, bringing their shadow war to non-compliant worlds beyond the Imperium's light.

=== 139.M41 - [Outside Sector] The Gothic War - ===

The Crusade deadlock is made worse by the invasion of the Gothic Sector by the most hated Despoiler, Warmaster of the [[Archenemy]]. Forces originally intended for the Prosperitas Sector are diverted eastward to the Gothic Sector instead, leading to massive supply shortages which will dog the Crusade long into the present era.

=== 197-304.M41 - The Folly of Warmaster Monforte - ===

Eventually [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Monforte]], an unobjectionable if unimpressive leader, is selected from amongst the available candidates.

On the border of what will be designated Subsector Tertius, the remaining forces of the [[Regency]] proper gather to mount a major counter-attack against the Imperium. Made aware by spies, [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Monforte]] throws everything he has against the gathered forces. Because of the difficulty navigating the asteroid field in the system, the fighting is long and harsh, and what is supposed to be a surprise attack drags into a long-term attrition war in the field, with the Imperium eventually winning a pyrrhic victory after ten years of conflict and innumerable losses

Made worse by political friction between [[House Durovera]] from the Sector Governor's throne and Warmaster Monforte, the [[Crusade]] forces fall into a lull nearly a hundred years long. While this allows for Subsector Primus to be stabilized and fully tamed by the Imperium, the lack of progress frustrates House Durovera and many Imperial commanders, who believe the aging Monforte to be growing incompetent as his age advances - more so than many already did. Unlike his ill-fated predecessor and those who will follow, the Warmaster dies of old age at the end of this century, free of regrets. On his deathbed, he swears that he will never apologise for consolidating the Imperium’s victories and avoiding overstretching his forces.

== 300-400.M41 ==

=== 304.M41 - The Victories and Fall of Warmaster Ulian - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Ulian]], the third individual to carry the title of Warmaster and the youngest yet, enjoys unparalleled success opening both the Secundus and Tertius Subsectors to Imperial expansion. Though the [[Regency]] is largely defeated, many of the worlds are home to non-Imperial, [[Archenemy]] and xeno-worshipping cultures. These enemies reel before his advance. Many of their forces are driven out of Imperial space and into the currently lawless regions. Buoyed by success under Ulian’s leadership, Imperial forces prepare a three-pronged assault on the trailing regions of the Sector that lie close to the malevolent light of the warp storm known as the [[Threats and Hazards of the Prosperitas Sector|Eye of Terror]].

Tragedy strikes as the Eye, always in flux, bursts its borders, with splinters of the storm ripping apart realspace in their wake. One such tendril, known as the Lash of the Eye, surges through Subsector Quartus. Imperial forces flee the storm while many of the Archenemy joyfully meet it, some even driving fleets into the maelstrom . The storm devastates the [[Crusade]] forces as it swallows the whole Subsector. In the aftermath Warmaster Ulian is missing, presumed dead, and the Crusade reels and stalls as it loses much of its fighting strength.

=== 331.M41 - The Tenebris Arm - ===

Even as the Eye wanes, the storm consuming the lost regions does not abate, creating an uncrossable region of space for Imperial forces and a haven for the forces of the [[Archenemy]]. The Arm of the Eye is named [[Threats and Hazards of the Prosperitas Sector|Tenebris]] and is declared lost. It is ruled impassable, and many forces are dedicated to worlds like [[Strayvia]] on the borders, to act as fortress-worlds to hold back any Archenemy who might emerge from the storm. This loss is devastating to the [[Ruwwad]] people, who are native to the region claimed by the Eye ,and scatters their populations amongst the other worlds of the Sector.

=== 349.M41 - Warmaster Fassir - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Nudara Fassir]], a Terran-born General, is appointed by the High Lords of Terra to take over the [[Prosperitas Crusade]], after they grow tired of the petty squabbling of the Crusade command and their inability to agree upon a leader. Fassir is a veteran of the Solar Regiments and a talented warrior. She is a conservative commander, but is also a veteran of Terran politics, and does well holding the Crusade together during the long years of doubt that will follow. Once again the Crusade’s progress slows, but she mitigates frustration amongst her commanders by assigning forces to expeditionary fleets, probing the more stable warp-routes in the Rimward Marches of Subsector Secundus. Her reign as Warmaster lasts long into the later years of her life, but ends in tragedy and betrayal.

=== 392-399.M41 - [Outside Sector] The Macharian Crusade - ===

On Terra, a brilliant Imperial Commander, Macharius, is appointed Lord Solar, and launches a brilliant crusade into Segementum Pacificus. Many commanders of the Prosperitas Sector claim Warmaster Durovera inspired the Imperium to support commanders like Macharius, but the Crusade also hails the waning interests of the High Lords in the Galactic north and further crippling reductions in resources available to the Prosperitas Crusade.

== 400-500.M41 ==

=== 439.M41 - The Assassination of Warmaster Fassir - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Fassir]] is assassinated in her command quarters on [[Polarnus Station]]. Her wife, Majal, is the sole witness to the crime, and gives an account of a skin-changing woman who struck Fassir down. Her testimony is ruled unreliable, as [[Crusade]] High Command refuses to accept such a thing would have spared her life. Agents of the Inquisition take Majal away for interrogation, and she is never seen again. Accusations of betrayal and treachery fly freely in the years that follow as squabbling over the position of Warmaster intensifies.

=== 444.M41 - [Outside-Sector] The Armageddon War - ===

A large Archenemy force launches an assault on Armageddon, a major manufacturing world in Segementum Solar. While the actual account of the war is sealed by Inquisitorial record, the loss of a supply world has serious consequences across the Imperium. It could not come at a worse time for the Prosperitas Sector, where strained tensions are already close to breaking point.

=== 446-484.M41 - The Inheritance War and Censure - ===

The conflict for the position of Warmaster intensifies into open civil war between three Imperial commanders (whose names are later struck from record). Imperial forces clash with Imperial forces over a period of twenty years. Most of this fighting occurs away from the eyes of others, and many of them are honour battles, but the infighting utterly paralyses the [[Crusade]] once again. In some cases, it leads to opportunistic pirate raids and rebel uprisings on planets left poorly defended by the distracted Imperial forces.

Belatedly, the High Lords of Terra deliver a Proclamation of Censure ordering the execution of those commanders involved in the Inheritance War, suspending the Crusade indefinitely, and re-deploying the grand majority of non-native forces from the Crusade to other Sectors in need of reinforcement, reducing its strength to the weakest in its history.

== 500-586.M41 - The Era of Stagnation ==

=== 553.M41 - The Cadian Corridor, and the rise of Warmaster Hroth - ===

The High Lords repeal their censure after ships from [[House Majid]]'s fleet discover the Cadian corridor, a warp passage that effectively grants Imperial reinforcements for the Cadian Gate a five-year shortcut on the journey to the Cadian Sector. This heightened strategic importance, in addition to the sector Geosurvey's discovery of rare resources in the Rimward Marches, leads to the High Lords appointing Janus Hroth as Warmaster. Hroth is a Munitorum Administrator with very little tactical aptitude which leads to several very near strategic disasters as he attempts to command Imperial forces like a civil servant.

=== 563-566.M41 - Waagh! Gazbag - ===

Smashing out of wildspace between the Gothic Sector and the Prosperitas Sector, Waagh! Gazbag crashes into the exposed flank of the Imperium on the Galactic East. The [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector|Greenskins]], not previously seen in sector, tear through several Imperial worlds in the space of a few years. The tide is turned when [[Dramatis Personae|Arch-Militant Voss]] deploys a strategy of funneling the Orks towards [[Persephon IV]] where they are bogged down and a stalemate is reached. For his part, Voss is inducted into the ranks of the Inquisition - becoming Inquisitor Voss, and is granted considerable support from Crusade High Command.

=== 566.M41 - A New Warmaster - ===

With Warmaster Hroth’s failings exposed, he is forced to resign his post in shame, and [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Ilenyós]] is appointed in his stead. He is exactly what the Crusade needs, being ready to knuckle down to work, and takes the lead on a number of major strategies to return the [[Crusade]] to action.

=== 570.M41 - The Unwanted Governor - ===

Long ignored, and long treated as the lesser rewards of the House, the seat of Sector Governor is taken up by [[Dramatis Personae|Armelius Durovera]] after his sister abdicates the position in order to take control of the family's Warrant of Trade so she might lead the House fleet out into the Rimward Marches in search of treasures beyond Imperial battle-lines. Armelius is a vain man, not prepared for the position of Sector Governor, and relies heavily upon his aides. He quickly develops a friction with [[Crusade]] High Command, and makes an outright political enemy of the Warmaster. This marks the beginning of a period of upheaval and great loss for the Prosperitas Sector.

=== 577-582.M41 - The Great Losses - ===

A formerly productive and reliable agri-world supplying crops to feed many Hive-Worlds across Subsector Primus, [[Strayvia]] suffers near-total economic collapse through the mid 570s as a great portion of its able-bodied youth are shipped off to newly-founded Guard regiments to defend the Tenebris border. The resulting mutiny among the population springs into a fully-formed insurgency with reported [[Archenemy]] links, and the planet is virus-bombed in 577.M41 as part of an Exterminatus by Inquisitorial decree. The remnants of the Strayvian regiments remain committed to Battlegroup Hesperidus, embittered and downtrodden after massive casualties at the front and the loss of their homeworld.

In 582.M41 both [[Korimesta]] and [[Caudica Secundus]] suffer tragedies;

The Hive World of [[Korimesta]] sees several months of panic after the entirety of Hive Secundus is destroyed by an atomic device with the loss of billions of lives. When no further attacks are forthcoming things quieten down, but the planet remains on high alert and those behind the attack are never identified.

A thriving cultural and economic centre, the Hive World of [[Caudica Secundus]] sees a resurgence in fanatical religious activity among the miners of its southern continent. This quickly reveals itself to be a facade over an outright heretical uprising. After local authorities fail to contain the growing threat, the planet is interdicted and subjected to Exterminatus by orbital bombardment. Caudican refugees spread across the mining colonies and vessels of the sector, carrying dread tales and fear with them.

=== 580.M41 - Massacre of Blackstation 101 - ===

A hidden Inquisitorial fortress is hit by an agent of the Archenemy while many of the sector’s Inquisitors are gathered in conclave. The resulting massacre leaves a handful of survivors - a few who were there, and some who were lucky enough not to have been present. Without weight of numbers, the surviving Inquisitors are increasingly dependent on empowering their Agents to act for them, and calling upon the aid of other factions.

=== 583.M41 - The Death of Hroth - ===

The planet [[Henlock]], a Mechanicus colony in the Rimward reaches of the Sector, comes under attack from [[Archenemy]] forces. Imperial forces are caught completely off guard, and to make matters worse, a Titan of the Demi-Legion [[The Taghmata Omnissiah|Custodii Incudatem]] is captured by the Archenemy. This marks the Imperium’s first encounter with a unified Archenemy force for centuries; these forces bear the insignia of the [[Regency]] and are believed to be the remnants of that former power.

In response, [[Crusade]] High Command launches the disastrous ‘Operation Righteous Fury’, intent on blunting the so-called Talons of the Way before they can capitalize on their success at Henlock. Crusade forces easily overwhelm the Archenemy's picket fleet, but this turns out to be a trap, as a massive fleet of Archenemy vessels drops out of warp several days later. Most of Crusade High Command - including the Warmaster - and much of the Crusade Fleet are destroyed or captured in the subsequent chaos, with talk of Imperial vessels turning on each other in the midst of the battle.

=== 584-586.M41 - The Rise of Cardinal Grulge - ===

In the aftermath of [[Henlock]], the disruption of sacred ceremonies on [[Nivalis]] caused by heretic [[Navis Nobilite Houses of the Prosperitas Sector|Navigators]] sparks sector-wide unrest and attacks upon the abhumans, especially those of House de Sousa, who are blamed for the chaos. Imperial forces scramble to stop the sector falling into total anarchy as they stave off assaults from rebels, heretics and xenos alike. The arrival of reinforcements from beyond the sector and the pacification of Nivalis by the Battle Sisters of the [[Adepta Sororitas|Order of His Sanguine Tears]] provides stability at the end of 584.

With this force of Holy Warriors comes a new figure, [[Dramatis Personae|Cardinal Ignatius Grulge]]. The charismatic and ruthless Cardinal takes control of the leaderless [[Ecclesiarchy]] and sets about disciplining wayward and apostate Priests. His actions provide the sector with further stability, and spiritual guidance.

== 586.M41-595.M41 - The Reign of Falsehoods ==

'''Detailed in [[The Story So Far]] and summarised in [[Campaign 1 - Part 1]]'''

As far as the wider Prosperitas Sector knows - on [[Everholt]] an attempt is made on the life Sector Governor [[Prosperitas_Dramatis_Personae#Foes_of_the_Imperium|Armelius Durovera]]. The Governor, once a craven and foppish layabout and entitled child of [[House Durovera]] - seems to experience a complete change following this experience, applying himself to becoming a better ruler to his Sector. Thanks to this - and because the role within the Crusade remains absent - Armelius is able, after several years of political manuevering, to position himself Warmaster of the Prosperitas Crusade, gaining the ascent of the High Lords and enough senior Crusade staff to be the first since his ancestor Jacinta, to hold both the titles of Governor and Warmaster under once office.

It is only six years later in 592.M41 that the Inquisition becomes aware of what has occurred on Everholt - that a shape-shifting Daemon Prince known only as the 'Faceless Regent" has managed to replace the Sector Governor and gain control of the Sector. For the next three years while battles against the Archenemy rage along the Sector's Borders and internal strife threatens to tear the frontier sector apart, the Inquistion works to undermine the rule of this false-ruler lacking the resources or evidence to remove him in a bolder move, having had its power weakened over the years prior to 586 - likely due to the machinations of this same creature. In 594.M41, Inquisitorial Servants are no closer to working what the creatures ultimate goals were, but successfully banish it from reality while it apparently aids them against a far greater threat.

However over the course of the years from 592.M41 Inquisition Agents become increasingly aware of another powerful entity working quite literally in the shadows of the Prosperitas Sector. This creature, an Ur-Entity, a "Warp God" that predates known history has been trapped in a xenos-construct prison that the Imperium settled and called the Prosperitas Sector. Hemmed in by ancient machinery, the entity begins to slip its bonds. Born of the firstborn fears of all sentient life, this creature begins to induce nightmarish hallucinations and madness across the Sector. With the aid of the Faceless Regent the Inquisition are able to, apparently, drive the entity back in 594.M41 though knowledge of its existence significantly increases the interest of the wider Inquisition in the Prosperitas Sector - leading to the arrival of Lord Inquisitor Hektor Aetós in the sector and the formal formation of the Ordos Prosperitas.

Alongside these esoteric threats, the Sector is attacked within and without, cult uprisings and rebellions mark these latter years of M.41 with victories and defeats for the Crusade coming over the years - the appointment of a new Warmaster, Sarina Khan I and the recovery of another Dragos Ulian I coming as major boosts to its morale in 595. Though the return of the exiled remnants of the Regency's Military forces in the same year presents new challenges for the campaign to conquer and tame the frontier space in the Prosperitas Sector.

Internal strife comes from Warp Cults and the insurgents of the Rising Flame who both enjoy victories and defeats over these years. But there is no internal threat greater than the rising up of the [[Temple of the Saviour Emperor]] under Cardinal Grulge who, despite being excommunicated for his membership of this proscribed sect, manages to hold onto spiritual power and authority and, without Ecclesiarchy power to challenge him, remains in power at the end of these years forming his own religious state and seeking to gain influence over the remaining Imperial worlds of the Sector.

Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector

2023-03-02T15:22:35Z

Hal:

This page contains a timeline of events in the Prosperitas Sector from before its foundation to the start of the Death Unto Darkness campaign in 595.M41. You can read more about events since that date in [[The Story So Far]].

== Pre-M41 ==

=== Mid-M25 - Early Human Settlement of the Prosperitas Sector - ===

Archaeological and archival evidence suggests that humanity first arrived in the Sector in mid-M25. It is presumed these craft were early warp vessels, or perhaps sleeper vessels, travelling on sublight drives - little is known about this early settlement. Scholars have long attempted to study the older native archives of the sector but many of these were destroyed during [[Regency]] occupation.

=== M25-M29 - The Age of Strife - ===

Warp storms cause massive rifts in real and warp space making space travel nearly impossible and cutting off entire regions. On Terra, civilization regresses as techno-barbarians fight for survival and for dominion of the wasteland that was once a green and wonderful Earth.

=== M30-M31 - The Great Crusade - ===

The Emperor unites Holy Terra and sets out across the Galaxy, founding the Imperium in His name. At some stage during this period, fragmentary records point to the unification and official designation of the Prosperitas Sector as a sector of the newborn Imperium. The names and titles of those responsible for its foundation are unavailable due to corruption in Crusade-era data recorders. It is uncertain how long initial Imperial contact with the Prosperitas Sector lasted, but it was long enough for the surviving maps within the Archives of Terra to have been created.

=== M31 - The Horus Heresy - ===

The Emperor and his nine [[Primarchs]] are opposed by the Arch-Heretic, Horus, one of nine Daemons in the service of the [[Archenemy]], Chaos. In the resulting war Terra is besieged and, through a combination of destroyed charts and shifting warp tides, the Prosperitas Sector becomes one of the forgotten, lost regions of the galaxy. Local legends suggest that invading forces came from the Eye of Terror and took worlds in the Easternmost regions of the sector. From amongst these, a dark follower of the Archdaemon Horus was appointed to rule the sector - and so began a period (and government) that would last between M.31 and early M.41. This was known as the Regency.

=== M31-013.M41 - The Regency - ===

The Imperium specifically destroyed the majority of archives detailing the history of the so-called ‘[[Regency]]’, the [[Archenemy]]-aligned occupying government that ruled the Sector in the absence of the Emperor’s Light. What is known is that it laboured in the foolish belief that Horus won the Battle of Terra.

For over ten millennia the Sector was ruled by a ‘Regent of the Emperor’, an [[Archenemy]] tyrant. There is significant evidence of native resistance during this period, which is why a considerable number of native populations have been spared immediate extermination in the years since reconquest of the Sector has begun.

Most of the history of the Regency period was lost by extensive purges by the Holy Ordos and the Imperium, but some knowledge of this period was recorded by the native human inhabitants. Both the [[Annwfyn]] and [[Ruwwad]] were placed under the dominion of the invading forces under the so-called Regent of the Warmaster, and rule of the sector's worlds fell to various Priest-Kings of a heretical religion known as the '''Covenant of the Way''', the strongest of whom would be the next Regent. During this period, the sector was not particularly stable. Both the Annwfyn and Ruwwad have a history of resistance (which has, in some problematic instances, continued under Imperial rule) and many worlds were already independent of the Regency when the Imperium first arrived.

== 000 to 100.M41 ==

=== 009.M41 - The arrival of the Durovera Expedition - ===

A fleet of Imperial ships led by Rogue Trader [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]], in search of a new passage to the Cadia Sector through the minor warp storms surrounding that sector, discovers a stable warp passage from Segmentum Solar into the Prosperitas Sector. There, she discovers a stable Sector occupied by a people who believe she has come as an emissary of the Emperor on Terra.

Affairs are cordial until Durovera’s reception on [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], when the ‘Emperor's Regent’ rolls out banners displaying the Eye of Horus, deeply heretical to the Imperial delegation. Despite herself, Durovera masters her doubts and remains cordial, and the unsuspecting Regent goes through formalities oblivious of how the Sector has been misled.

Returning to her ships, Durovera takes advantage of the fact that she has the benefit of surprise and launches an immediate bombardment of the [[Regency]]'s government buildings, before ordering the ground forces accompanying her fleet to launch an all-out attack on the sector capital. After a successful conquest of the capital, the Rogue Trader hunkers down, sends astropathic messages to Terra requesting assistance and prepares to weather the coming counter-attack and siege by the Regency Fleet.

=== 013.M41 - 101.M41 - The Prosperitas Crusade Begins - ===

Four years after [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]] conquered [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], Imperial forces arrive there to relieve the Rogue Trader. They bring with them heralds of the High Lords of Terra, who proclaim Durovera to be Warmaster of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]]. Armed with astro-navigational knowledge she has plundered from [[Regency]] data vaults beneath the surface of [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], Durovera launches a lightning campaign against several major staging worlds for Regency forces, crippling much of the Regency Fleet, and what little nominal leadership survived her attack on the capital.

She is supported by numerous forces including the nomad Titans of [[The Taghmata Omnissiah|Legio Ferraeus]], to whom she grants the Forge World that will eventually come to bear their [[Ferraeus|name]]. In addition, she is supported by local fighters known as the [[The Rising Flame|Rising Flame]] who have fought an armed if nebulous resistance against the Regency for millennia.

In her later years as Warmaster, Durovera became obsessed with hunting down the flagship of the Regency fleet, the ancient Gloriana-class battleship ''Manifest Destiny''. From her flagship, the Nemesis-class fleet carrier ''Stormchaser'', the Warmaster hunts the huge warship down over a series of engagements, damaging it heavily with waves of fighter craft.

The ''Stormchaser'' is last seen translating to warp without her flagship’s escorts, and no sign is ever seen of her or Jacinta Durovera again; however, the ''Manifest Destiny'' is discovered several months later bearing heavy damage and with all onboard dead or evacuated. It is brought under tow back to Legio Venia and remains there undergoing re-sanctification. When Durovera is eventually declared missing in action by Crusade High Command, the vessel is re-christened ''Iron Lady'' and Legio Venia is officially renamed [[Duroverum]], in honour of the fallen Warmaster. [[House Durovera]] are granted the seat of Sector Governor by right of blood, and one of the Warmaster’s cousins takes the throne.

== 100-300.M41 ==

=== 101-196.M41 - The Crusade Stalls and the Strife - ===

Without an obvious heir to the Warmaster, [[Crusade]] progress stalls, and the lack of guidance as to how to divide the holdings already taken by the Crusade fragments the alliances formed by [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]] in her quest to take the Prosperitas Sector. Terran nobles and their families, who were promised riches and worlds to establish themselves beyond the reach of their parents, war amongst themselves, and military commanders bicker over their rights of control over the Imperial parts of the Prosperitas Sector.

Though the Imperium has a hold over most of Subsector Primus and has broken most of the [[Regency]]'s greatest armies, local populations are found to be non-compliant - either dogmatically continuing to follow the [[The_Archenemy#The_Old_Ways|heretical religion]] practiced by the Regency or being of [[Annwfyn]] or [[Ruwwad]] descent and difficult to control. In perhaps the greatest reversal of Jacinta's policies, Imperial commanders decide that the [[The Rising Flame|Rising Flame]] are dangerous and must be snuffed out. The insurgents realize the threat too late and the Imperium is able to deal devastating blows to the rebellion before it can withdraw and hide from persecution; this 'betrayal' turns the focus of the Flame away from the Regency and begins hundreds of years of resistance against the Imperium.

An assembly of Witch Hunters from the Ordo Hereticus arrive in 142.M41, forming the first iteration of the [[The Prosperitas Conclave|the Prosperitas Conclave]] of the Inquisition. Witch-pyres burn hot, with entire heretic populations put to the flame. While military leaders squabble amongst themselves, the Inquisitors of the Ordo Hereticus make themselves busy, spreading across the sector. Some travel beyond Imperial lines even, bringing their shadow war to non-compliant worlds beyond the Imperium's light.

=== 139.M41 - [Outside Sector] The Gothic War - ===

The Crusade deadlock is made worse by the invasion of the Gothic Sector by the most hated Despoiler, Warmaster of the [[Archenemy]]. Forces originally intended for the Prosperitas Sector are diverted eastward to the Gothic Sector instead, leading to massive supply shortages which will dog the Crusade long into the present era.

=== 197-304.M41 - The Folly of Warmaster Monforte - ===

Eventually [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Monforte]], an unobjectionable if unimpressive leader, is selected from amongst the available candidates.

On the border of what will be designated Subsector Tertius, the remaining forces of the [[Regency]] proper gather to mount a major counter-attack against the Imperium. Made aware by spies, [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Monforte]] throws everything he has against the gathered forces. Because of the difficulty navigating the asteroid field in the system, the fighting is long and harsh, and what is supposed to be a surprise attack drags into a long-term attrition war in the field, with the Imperium eventually winning a pyrrhic victory after ten years of conflict and innumerable losses

Made worse by political friction between [[House Durovera]] from the Sector Governor's throne and Warmaster Monforte, the [[Crusade]] forces fall into a lull nearly a hundred years long. While this allows for Subsector Primus to be stabilized and fully tamed by the Imperium, the lack of progress frustrates House Durovera and many Imperial commanders, who believe the aging Monforte to be growing incompetent as his age advances - more so than many already did. Unlike his ill-fated predecessor and those who will follow, the Warmaster dies of old age at the end of this century, free of regrets. On his deathbed, he swears that he will never apologise for consolidating the Imperium’s victories and avoiding overstretching his forces.

== 300-400.M41 ==

=== 304.M41 - The Victories and Fall of Warmaster Ulian - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Ulian]], the third individual to carry the title of Warmaster and the youngest yet, enjoys unparalleled success opening both the Secundus and Tertius Subsectors to Imperial expansion. Though the [[Regency]] is largely defeated, many of the worlds are home to non-Imperial, [[Archenemy]] and xeno-worshipping cultures. These enemies reel before his advance. Many of their forces are driven out of Imperial space and into the currently lawless regions. Buoyed by success under Ulian’s leadership, Imperial forces prepare a three-pronged assault on the trailing regions of the Sector that lie close to the malevolent light of the warp storm known as the [[Threats and Hazards of the Prosperitas Sector|Eye of Terror]].

Tragedy strikes as the Eye, always in flux, bursts its borders, with splinters of the storm ripping apart realspace in their wake. One such tendril, known as the Lash of the Eye, surges through Subsector Quartus. Imperial forces flee the storm while many of the Archenemy joyfully meet it, some even driving fleets into the maelstrom . The storm devastates the [[Crusade]] forces as it swallows the whole Subsector. In the aftermath Warmaster Ulian is missing, presumed dead, and the Crusade reels and stalls as it loses much of its fighting strength.

=== 331.M41 - The Tenebris Arm - ===

Even as the Eye wanes, the storm consuming the lost regions does not abate, creating an uncrossable region of space for Imperial forces and a haven for the forces of the [[Archenemy]]. The Arm of the Eye is named [[Threats and Hazards of the Prosperitas Sector|Tenebris]] and is declared lost. It is ruled impassable, and many forces are dedicated to worlds like [[Strayvia]] on the borders, to act as fortress-worlds to hold back any Archenemy who might emerge from the storm. This loss is devastating to the [[Ruwwad]] people, who are native to the region claimed by the Eye ,and scatters their populations amongst the other worlds of the Sector.

=== 349.M41 - Warmaster Fassir - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Nudara Fassir]], a Terran-born General, is appointed by the High Lords of Terra to take over the [[Prosperitas Crusade]], after they grow tired of the petty squabbling of the Crusade command and their inability to agree upon a leader. Fassir is a veteran of the Solar Regiments and a talented warrior. She is a conservative commander, but is also a veteran of Terran politics, and does well holding the Crusade together during the long years of doubt that will follow. Once again the Crusade’s progress slows, but she mitigates frustration amongst her commanders by assigning forces to expeditionary fleets, probing the more stable warp-routes in the Rimward Marches of Subsector Secundus. Her reign as Warmaster lasts long into the later years of her life, but ends in tragedy and betrayal.

=== 392-399.M41 - [Outside Sector] The Macharian Crusade - ===

On Terra, a brilliant Imperial Commander, Macharius, is appointed Lord Solar, and launches a brilliant crusade into Segementum Pacificus. Many commanders of the Prosperitas Sector claim Warmaster Durovera inspired the Imperium to support commanders like Macharius, but the Crusade also hails the waning interests of the High Lords in the Galactic north and further crippling reductions in resources available to the Prosperitas Crusade.

== 400-500.M41 ==

=== 439.M41 - The Assassination of Warmaster Fassir - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Fassir]] is assassinated in her command quarters on [[Polarnus Station]]. Her wife, Majal, is the sole witness to the crime, and gives an account of a skin-changing woman who struck Fassir down. Her testimony is ruled unreliable, as [[Crusade]] High Command refuses to accept such a thing would have spared her life. Agents of the Inquisition take Majal away for interrogation, and she is never seen again. Accusations of betrayal and treachery fly freely in the years that follow as squabbling over the position of Warmaster intensifies.

=== 444.M41 - [Outside-Sector] The Armageddon War - ===

A large Archenemy force launches an assault on Armageddon, a major manufacturing world in Segementum Solar. While the actual account of the war is sealed by Inquisitorial record, the loss of a supply world has serious consequences across the Imperium. It could not come at a worse time for the Prosperitas Sector, where strained tensions are already close to breaking point.

=== 446-484.M41 - The Inheritance War and Censure - ===

The conflict for the position of Warmaster intensifies into open civil war between three Imperial commanders (whose names are later struck from record). Imperial forces clash with Imperial forces over a period of twenty years. Most of this fighting occurs away from the eyes of others, and many of them are honour battles, but the infighting utterly paralyses the [[Crusade]] once again. In some cases, it leads to opportunistic pirate raids and rebel uprisings on planets left poorly defended by the distracted Imperial forces.

Belatedly, the High Lords of Terra deliver a Proclamation of Censure ordering the execution of those commanders involved in the Inheritance War, suspending the Crusade indefinitely, and re-deploying the grand majority of non-native forces from the Crusade to other Sectors in need of reinforcement, reducing its strength to the weakest in its history.

== 500-586.M41 - The Era of Stagnation ==

=== 553.M41 - The Cadian Corridor, and the rise of Warmaster Hroth - ===

The High Lords repeal their censure after ships from [[House Majid]]'s fleet discover the Cadian corridor, a warp passage that effectively grants Imperial reinforcements for the Cadian Gate a five-year shortcut on the journey to the Cadian Sector. This heightened strategic importance, in addition to the sector Geosurvey's discovery of rare resources in the Rimward Marches, leads to the High Lords appointing Janus Hroth as Warmaster. Hroth is a Munitorum Administrator with very little tactical aptitude which leads to several very near strategic disasters as he attempts to command Imperial forces like a civil servant.

=== 563-566.M41 - Waagh! Gazbag - ===

Smashing out of wildspace between the Gothic Sector and the Prosperitas Sector, Waagh! Gazbag crashes into the exposed flank of the Imperium on the Galactic East. The [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector|Greenskins]], not previously seen in sector, tear through several Imperial worlds in the space of a few years. The tide is turned when [[Dramatis Personae|Arch-Militant Voss]] deploys a strategy of funneling the Orks towards [[Persephon IV]] where they are bogged down and a stalemate is reached. For his part, Voss is inducted into the ranks of the Inquisition - becoming Inquisitor Voss, and is granted considerable support from Crusade High Command.

=== 566.M41 - A New Warmaster - ===

With Warmaster Hroth’s failings exposed, he is forced to resign his post in shame, and [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Ilenyós]] is appointed in his stead. He is exactly what the Crusade needs, being ready to knuckle down to work, and takes the lead on a number of major strategies to return the [[Crusade]] to action.

=== 570.M41 - The Unwanted Governor - ===

Long ignored, and long treated as the lesser rewards of the House, the seat of Sector Governor is taken up by [[Dramatis Personae|Armelius Durovera]] after his sister abdicates the position in order to take control of the family's Warrant of Trade so she might lead the House fleet out into the Rimward Marches in search of treasures beyond Imperial battle-lines. Armelius is a vain man, not prepared for the position of Sector Governor, and relies heavily upon his aides. He quickly develops a friction with [[Crusade]] High Command, and makes an outright political enemy of the Warmaster. This marks the beginning of a period of upheaval and great loss for the Prosperitas Sector.

=== 577-582.M41 - The Great Losses - ===

A formerly productive and reliable agri-world supplying crops to feed many Hive-Worlds across Subsector Primus, [[Strayvia]] suffers near-total economic collapse through the mid 570s as a great portion of its able-bodied youth are shipped off to newly-founded Guard regiments to defend the Tenebris border. The resulting mutiny among the population springs into a fully-formed insurgency with reported [[Archenemy]] links, and the planet is virus-bombed in 577.M41 as part of an Exterminatus by Inquisitorial decree. The remnants of the Strayvian regiments remain committed to Battlegroup Hesperidus, embittered and downtrodden after massive casualties at the front and the loss of their homeworld.

In 582.M41 both [[Korimesta]] and [[Caudica Secundus]] suffer tragedies;

The Hive World of [[Korimesta]] sees several months of panic after the entirety of Hive Secundus is destroyed by an atomic device with the loss of billions of lives. When no further attacks are forthcoming things quieten down, but the planet remains on high alert and those behind the attack are never identified.

A thriving cultural and economic centre, the Hive World of [[Caudica Secundus]] sees a resurgence in fanatical religious activity among the miners of its southern continent. This quickly reveals itself to be a facade over an outright heretical uprising. After local authorities fail to contain the growing threat, the planet is interdicted and subjected to Exterminatus by orbital bombardment. Caudican refugees spread across the mining colonies and vessels of the sector, carrying dread tales and fear with them.

=== 580.M41 - Massacre of Blackstation 101 - ===

A hidden Inquisitorial fortress is hit by an agent of the Archenemy while many of the sector’s Inquisitors are gathered in conclave. The resulting massacre leaves a handful of survivors - a few who were there, and some who were lucky enough not to have been present. Without weight of numbers, the surviving Inquisitors are increasingly dependent on empowering their Agents to act for them, and calling upon the aid of other factions.

=== 583.M41 - The Death of Hroth - ===

The planet [[Henlock]], a Mechanicus colony in the Rimward reaches of the Sector, comes under attack from [[Archenemy]] forces. Imperial forces are caught completely off guard, and to make matters worse, a Titan of the Demi-Legion [[The Taghmata Omnissiah|Custodii Incudatem]] is captured by the Archenemy. This marks the Imperium’s first encounter with a unified Archenemy force for centuries; these forces bear the insignia of the [[Regency]] and are believed to be the remnants of that former power.

In response, [[Crusade]] High Command launches the disastrous ‘Operation Righteous Fury’, intent on blunting the so-called Talons of the Way before they can capitalize on their success at Henlock. Crusade forces easily overwhelm the Archenemy's picket fleet, but this turns out to be a trap, as a massive fleet of Archenemy vessels drops out of warp several days later. Most of Crusade High Command - including the Warmaster - and much of the Crusade Fleet are destroyed or captured in the subsequent chaos, with talk of Imperial vessels turning on each other in the midst of the battle.

=== 584-586.M41 - The Rise of Cardinal Grulge - ===

In the aftermath of [[Henlock]], the disruption of sacred ceremonies on [[Nivalis]] caused by heretic [[Navis Nobilite Houses of the Prosperitas Sector|Navigators]] sparks sector-wide unrest and attacks upon the abhumans, especially those of House de Sousa, who are blamed for the chaos. Imperial forces scramble to stop the sector falling into total anarchy as they stave off assaults from rebels, heretics and xenos alike. The arrival of reinforcements from beyond the sector and the pacification of Nivalis by the Battle Sisters of the [[Adepta Sororitas|Order of His Sanguine Tears]] provides stability at the end of 584.

With this force of Holy Warriors comes a new figure, [[Dramatis Personae|Cardinal Ignatius Grulge]]. The charismatic and ruthless Cardinal takes control of the leaderless [[Ecclesiarchy]] and sets about disciplining wayward and apostate Priests. His actions provide the sector with further stability, and spiritual guidance.

== 586.M41-595.M41 - The Reign of Falsehoods ==

'''Detailed in [[The Story So Far]] and summarised in [[Campaign 1 Part 1]]'''

As far as the wider Prosperitas Sector knows - on [[Everholt]] an attempt is made on the life Sector Governor [[Prosperitas_Dramatis_Personae#Foes_of_the_Imperium|Armelius Durovera]]. The Governor, once a craven and foppish layabout and entitled child of [[House Durovera]] - seems to experience a complete change following this experience, applying himself to becoming a better ruler to his Sector. Thanks to this - and because the role within the Crusade remains absent - Armelius is able, after several years of political manuevering, to position himself Warmaster of the Prosperitas Crusade, gaining the ascent of the High Lords and enough senior Crusade staff to be the first since his ancestor Jacinta, to hold both the titles of Governor and Warmaster under once office.

It is only six years later in 592.M41 that the Inquisition becomes aware of what has occurred on Everholt - that a shape-shifting Daemon Prince known only as the 'Faceless Regent" has managed to replace the Sector Governor and gain control of the Sector. For the next three years while battles against the Archenemy rage along the Sector's Borders and internal strife threatens to tear the frontier sector apart, the Inquistion works to undermine the rule of this false-ruler lacking the resources or evidence to remove him in a bolder move, having had its power weakened over the years prior to 586 - likely due to the machinations of this same creature. In 594.M41, Inquisitorial Servants are no closer to working what the creatures ultimate goals were, but successfully banish it from reality while it apparently aids them against a far greater threat.

However over the course of the years from 592.M41 Inquisition Agents become increasingly aware of another powerful entity working quite literally in the shadows of the Prosperitas Sector. This creature, an Ur-Entity, a "Warp God" that predates known history has been trapped in a xenos-construct prison that the Imperium settled and called the Prosperitas Sector. Hemmed in by ancient machinery, the entity begins to slip its bonds. Born of the firstborn fears of all sentient life, this creature begins to induce nightmarish hallucinations and madness across the Sector. With the aid of the Faceless Regent the Inquisition are able to, apparently, drive the entity back in 594.M41 though knowledge of its existence significantly increases the interest of the wider Inquisition in the Prosperitas Sector - leading to the arrival of Lord Inquisitor Hektor Aetós in the sector and the formal formation of the Ordos Prosperitas.

Alongside these esoteric threats, the Sector is attacked within and without, cult uprisings and rebellions mark these latter years of M.41 with victories and defeats for the Crusade coming over the years - the appointment of a new Warmaster, Sarina Khan I and the recovery of another Dragos Ulian I coming as major boosts to its morale in 595. Though the return of the exiled remnants of the Regency's Military forces in the same year presents new challenges for the campaign to conquer and tame the frontier space in the Prosperitas Sector.

Internal strife comes from Warp Cults and the insurgents of the Rising Flame who both enjoy victories and defeats over these years. But there is no internal threat greater than the rising up of the [[Temple of the Saviour Emperor]] under Cardinal Grulge who, despite being excommunicated for his membership of this proscribed sect, manages to hold onto spiritual power and authority and, without Ecclesiarchy power to challenge him, remains in power at the end of these years forming his own religious state and seeking to gain influence over the remaining Imperial worlds of the Sector.

Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector

2023-03-02T15:21:47Z

Hal:

This page contains a timeline of events in the Prosperitas Sector from before its foundation to the start of the Death Unto Darkness campaign in 595.M41. You can read more about events since that date in [[The Story So Far]].

== Pre-M41 ==

=== Mid-M25 - Early Human Settlement of the Prosperitas Sector - ===

Archaeological and archival evidence suggests that humanity first arrived in the Sector in mid-M25. It is presumed these craft were early warp vessels, or perhaps sleeper vessels, travelling on sublight drives - little is known about this early settlement. Scholars have long attempted to study the older native archives of the sector but many of these were destroyed during [[Regency]] occupation.

=== M25-M29 - The Age of Strife - ===

Warp storms cause massive rifts in real and warp space making space travel nearly impossible and cutting off entire regions. On Terra, civilization regresses as techno-barbarians fight for survival and for dominion of the wasteland that was once a green and wonderful Earth.

=== M30-M31 - The Great Crusade - ===

The Emperor unites Holy Terra and sets out across the Galaxy, founding the Imperium in His name. At some stage during this period, fragmentary records point to the unification and official designation of the Prosperitas Sector as a sector of the newborn Imperium. The names and titles of those responsible for its foundation are unavailable due to corruption in Crusade-era data recorders. It is uncertain how long initial Imperial contact with the Prosperitas Sector lasted, but it was long enough for the surviving maps within the Archives of Terra to have been created.

=== M31 - The Horus Heresy - ===

The Emperor and his nine [[Primarchs]] are opposed by the Arch-Heretic, Horus, one of nine Daemons in the service of the [[Archenemy]], Chaos. In the resulting war Terra is besieged and, through a combination of destroyed charts and shifting warp tides, the Prosperitas Sector becomes one of the forgotten, lost regions of the galaxy. Local legends suggest that invading forces came from the Eye of Terror and took worlds in the Easternmost regions of the sector. From amongst these, a dark follower of the Archdaemon Horus was appointed to rule the sector - and so began a period (and government) that would last between M.31 and early M.41. This was known as the Regency.

=== M31-013.M41 - The Regency - ===

The Imperium specifically destroyed the majority of archives detailing the history of the so-called ‘[[Regency]]’, the [[Archenemy]]-aligned occupying government that ruled the Sector in the absence of the Emperor’s Light. What is known is that it laboured in the foolish belief that Horus won the Battle of Terra.

For over ten millennia the Sector was ruled by a ‘Regent of the Emperor’, an [[Archenemy]] tyrant. There is significant evidence of native resistance during this period, which is why a considerable number of native populations have been spared immediate extermination in the years since reconquest of the Sector has begun.

Most of the history of the Regency period was lost by extensive purges by the Holy Ordos and the Imperium, but some knowledge of this period was recorded by the native human inhabitants. Both the [[Annwfyn]] and [[Ruwwad]] were placed under the dominion of the invading forces under the so-called Regent of the Warmaster, and rule of the sector's worlds fell to various Priest-Kings of a heretical religion known as the '''Covenant of the Way''', the strongest of whom would be the next Regent. During this period, the sector was not particularly stable. Both the Annwfyn and Ruwwad have a history of resistance (which has, in some problematic instances, continued under Imperial rule) and many worlds were already independent of the Regency when the Imperium first arrived.

== 000 to 100.M41 ==

=== 009.M41 - The arrival of the Durovera Expedition - ===

A fleet of Imperial ships led by Rogue Trader [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]], in search of a new passage to the Cadia Sector through the minor warp storms surrounding that sector, discovers a stable warp passage from Segmentum Solar into the Prosperitas Sector. There, she discovers a stable Sector occupied by a people who believe she has come as an emissary of the Emperor on Terra.

Affairs are cordial until Durovera’s reception on [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], when the ‘Emperor's Regent’ rolls out banners displaying the Eye of Horus, deeply heretical to the Imperial delegation. Despite herself, Durovera masters her doubts and remains cordial, and the unsuspecting Regent goes through formalities oblivious of how the Sector has been misled.

Returning to her ships, Durovera takes advantage of the fact that she has the benefit of surprise and launches an immediate bombardment of the [[Regency]]'s government buildings, before ordering the ground forces accompanying her fleet to launch an all-out attack on the sector capital. After a successful conquest of the capital, the Rogue Trader hunkers down, sends astropathic messages to Terra requesting assistance and prepares to weather the coming counter-attack and siege by the Regency Fleet.

=== 013.M41 - 101.M41 - The Prosperitas Crusade Begins - ===

Four years after [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]] conquered [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], Imperial forces arrive there to relieve the Rogue Trader. They bring with them heralds of the High Lords of Terra, who proclaim Durovera to be Warmaster of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]]. Armed with astro-navigational knowledge she has plundered from [[Regency]] data vaults beneath the surface of [[Duroverum|Legio Venia]], Durovera launches a lightning campaign against several major staging worlds for Regency forces, crippling much of the Regency Fleet, and what little nominal leadership survived her attack on the capital.

She is supported by numerous forces including the nomad Titans of [[The Taghmata Omnissiah|Legio Ferraeus]], to whom she grants the Forge World that will eventually come to bear their [[Ferraeus|name]]. In addition, she is supported by local fighters known as the [[The Rising Flame|Rising Flame]] who have fought an armed if nebulous resistance against the Regency for millennia.

In her later years as Warmaster, Durovera became obsessed with hunting down the flagship of the Regency fleet, the ancient Gloriana-class battleship ''Manifest Destiny''. From her flagship, the Nemesis-class fleet carrier ''Stormchaser'', the Warmaster hunts the huge warship down over a series of engagements, damaging it heavily with waves of fighter craft.

The ''Stormchaser'' is last seen translating to warp without her flagship’s escorts, and no sign is ever seen of her or Jacinta Durovera again; however, the ''Manifest Destiny'' is discovered several months later bearing heavy damage and with all onboard dead or evacuated. It is brought under tow back to Legio Venia and remains there undergoing re-sanctification. When Durovera is eventually declared missing in action by Crusade High Command, the vessel is re-christened ''Iron Lady'' and Legio Venia is officially renamed [[Duroverum]], in honour of the fallen Warmaster. [[House Durovera]] are granted the seat of Sector Governor by right of blood, and one of the Warmaster’s cousins takes the throne.

== 100-300.M41 ==

=== 101-196.M41 - The Crusade Stalls and the Strife - ===

Without an obvious heir to the Warmaster, [[Crusade]] progress stalls, and the lack of guidance as to how to divide the holdings already taken by the Crusade fragments the alliances formed by [[Dramatis Personae|Jacinta Durovera]] in her quest to take the Prosperitas Sector. Terran nobles and their families, who were promised riches and worlds to establish themselves beyond the reach of their parents, war amongst themselves, and military commanders bicker over their rights of control over the Imperial parts of the Prosperitas Sector.

Though the Imperium has a hold over most of Subsector Primus and has broken most of the [[Regency]]'s greatest armies, local populations are found to be non-compliant - either dogmatically continuing to follow the [[The_Archenemy#The_Old_Ways|heretical religion]] practiced by the Regency or being of [[Annwfyn]] or [[Ruwwad]] descent and difficult to control. In perhaps the greatest reversal of Jacinta's policies, Imperial commanders decide that the [[The Rising Flame|Rising Flame]] are dangerous and must be snuffed out. The insurgents realize the threat too late and the Imperium is able to deal devastating blows to the rebellion before it can withdraw and hide from persecution; this 'betrayal' turns the focus of the Flame away from the Regency and begins hundreds of years of resistance against the Imperium.

An assembly of Witch Hunters from the Ordo Hereticus arrive in 142.M41, forming the first iteration of the [[The Prosperitas Conclave|the Prosperitas Conclave]] of the Inquisition. Witch-pyres burn hot, with entire heretic populations put to the flame. While military leaders squabble amongst themselves, the Inquisitors of the Ordo Hereticus make themselves busy, spreading across the sector. Some travel beyond Imperial lines even, bringing their shadow war to non-compliant worlds beyond the Imperium's light.

=== 139.M41 - [Outside Sector] The Gothic War - ===

The Crusade deadlock is made worse by the invasion of the Gothic Sector by the most hated Despoiler, Warmaster of the [[Archenemy]]. Forces originally intended for the Prosperitas Sector are diverted eastward to the Gothic Sector instead, leading to massive supply shortages which will dog the Crusade long into the present era.

=== 197-304.M41 - The Folly of Warmaster Monforte - ===

Eventually [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Monforte]], an unobjectionable if unimpressive leader, is selected from amongst the available candidates.

On the border of what will be designated Subsector Tertius, the remaining forces of the [[Regency]] proper gather to mount a major counter-attack against the Imperium. Made aware by spies, [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Monforte]] throws everything he has against the gathered forces. Because of the difficulty navigating the asteroid field in the system, the fighting is long and harsh, and what is supposed to be a surprise attack drags into a long-term attrition war in the field, with the Imperium eventually winning a pyrrhic victory after ten years of conflict and innumerable losses

Made worse by political friction between [[House Durovera]] from the Sector Governor's throne and Warmaster Monforte, the [[Crusade]] forces fall into a lull nearly a hundred years long. While this allows for Subsector Primus to be stabilized and fully tamed by the Imperium, the lack of progress frustrates House Durovera and many Imperial commanders, who believe the aging Monforte to be growing incompetent as his age advances - more so than many already did. Unlike his ill-fated predecessor and those who will follow, the Warmaster dies of old age at the end of this century, free of regrets. On his deathbed, he swears that he will never apologise for consolidating the Imperium’s victories and avoiding overstretching his forces.

== 300-400.M41 ==

=== 304.M41 - The Victories and Fall of Warmaster Ulian - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Ulian]], the third individual to carry the title of Warmaster and the youngest yet, enjoys unparalleled success opening both the Secundus and Tertius Subsectors to Imperial expansion. Though the [[Regency]] is largely defeated, many of the worlds are home to non-Imperial, [[Archenemy]] and xeno-worshipping cultures. These enemies reel before his advance. Many of their forces are driven out of Imperial space and into the currently lawless regions. Buoyed by success under Ulian’s leadership, Imperial forces prepare a three-pronged assault on the trailing regions of the Sector that lie close to the malevolent light of the warp storm known as the [[Threats and Hazards of the Prosperitas Sector|Eye of Terror]].

Tragedy strikes as the Eye, always in flux, bursts its borders, with splinters of the storm ripping apart realspace in their wake. One such tendril, known as the Lash of the Eye, surges through Subsector Quartus. Imperial forces flee the storm while many of the Archenemy joyfully meet it, some even driving fleets into the maelstrom . The storm devastates the [[Crusade]] forces as it swallows the whole Subsector. In the aftermath Warmaster Ulian is missing, presumed dead, and the Crusade reels and stalls as it loses much of its fighting strength.

=== 331.M41 - The Tenebris Arm - ===

Even as the Eye wanes, the storm consuming the lost regions does not abate, creating an uncrossable region of space for Imperial forces and a haven for the forces of the [[Archenemy]]. The Arm of the Eye is named [[Threats and Hazards of the Prosperitas Sector|Tenebris]] and is declared lost. It is ruled impassable, and many forces are dedicated to worlds like [[Strayvia]] on the borders, to act as fortress-worlds to hold back any Archenemy who might emerge from the storm. This loss is devastating to the [[Ruwwad]] people, who are native to the region claimed by the Eye ,and scatters their populations amongst the other worlds of the Sector.

=== 349.M41 - Warmaster Fassir - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Nudara Fassir]], a Terran-born General, is appointed by the High Lords of Terra to take over the [[Prosperitas Crusade]], after they grow tired of the petty squabbling of the Crusade command and their inability to agree upon a leader. Fassir is a veteran of the Solar Regiments and a talented warrior. She is a conservative commander, but is also a veteran of Terran politics, and does well holding the Crusade together during the long years of doubt that will follow. Once again the Crusade’s progress slows, but she mitigates frustration amongst her commanders by assigning forces to expeditionary fleets, probing the more stable warp-routes in the Rimward Marches of Subsector Secundus. Her reign as Warmaster lasts long into the later years of her life, but ends in tragedy and betrayal.

=== 392-399.M41 - [Outside Sector] The Macharian Crusade - ===

On Terra, a brilliant Imperial Commander, Macharius, is appointed Lord Solar, and launches a brilliant crusade into Segementum Pacificus. Many commanders of the Prosperitas Sector claim Warmaster Durovera inspired the Imperium to support commanders like Macharius, but the Crusade also hails the waning interests of the High Lords in the Galactic north and further crippling reductions in resources available to the Prosperitas Crusade.

== 400-500.M41 ==

=== 439.M41 - The Assassination of Warmaster Fassir - ===

[[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Fassir]] is assassinated in her command quarters on [[Polarnus Station]]. Her wife, Majal, is the sole witness to the crime, and gives an account of a skin-changing woman who struck Fassir down. Her testimony is ruled unreliable, as [[Crusade]] High Command refuses to accept such a thing would have spared her life. Agents of the Inquisition take Majal away for interrogation, and she is never seen again. Accusations of betrayal and treachery fly freely in the years that follow as squabbling over the position of Warmaster intensifies.

=== 444.M41 - [Outside-Sector] The Armageddon War - ===

A large Archenemy force launches an assault on Armageddon, a major manufacturing world in Segementum Solar. While the actual account of the war is sealed by Inquisitorial record, the loss of a supply world has serious consequences across the Imperium. It could not come at a worse time for the Prosperitas Sector, where strained tensions are already close to breaking point.

=== 446-484.M41 - The Inheritance War and Censure - ===

The conflict for the position of Warmaster intensifies into open civil war between three Imperial commanders (whose names are later struck from record). Imperial forces clash with Imperial forces over a period of twenty years. Most of this fighting occurs away from the eyes of others, and many of them are honour battles, but the infighting utterly paralyses the [[Crusade]] once again. In some cases, it leads to opportunistic pirate raids and rebel uprisings on planets left poorly defended by the distracted Imperial forces.

Belatedly, the High Lords of Terra deliver a Proclamation of Censure ordering the execution of those commanders involved in the Inheritance War, suspending the Crusade indefinitely, and re-deploying the grand majority of non-native forces from the Crusade to other Sectors in need of reinforcement, reducing its strength to the weakest in its history.

== 500-586.M41 - The Era of Stagnation ==

=== 553.M41 - The Cadian Corridor, and the rise of Warmaster Hroth - ===

The High Lords repeal their censure after ships from [[House Majid]]'s fleet discover the Cadian corridor, a warp passage that effectively grants Imperial reinforcements for the Cadian Gate a five-year shortcut on the journey to the Cadian Sector. This heightened strategic importance, in addition to the sector Geosurvey's discovery of rare resources in the Rimward Marches, leads to the High Lords appointing Janus Hroth as Warmaster. Hroth is a Munitorum Administrator with very little tactical aptitude which leads to several very near strategic disasters as he attempts to command Imperial forces like a civil servant.

=== 563-566.M41 - Waagh! Gazbag - ===

Smashing out of wildspace between the Gothic Sector and the Prosperitas Sector, Waagh! Gazbag crashes into the exposed flank of the Imperium on the Galactic East. The [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector|Greenskins]], not previously seen in sector, tear through several Imperial worlds in the space of a few years. The tide is turned when [[Dramatis Personae|Arch-Militant Voss]] deploys a strategy of funneling the Orks towards [[Persephon IV]] where they are bogged down and a stalemate is reached. For his part, Voss is inducted into the ranks of the Inquisition - becoming Inquisitor Voss, and is granted considerable support from Crusade High Command.

=== 566.M41 - A New Warmaster - ===

With Warmaster Hroth’s failings exposed, he is forced to resign his post in shame, and [[Dramatis Personae|Warmaster Ilenyós]] is appointed in his stead. He is exactly what the Crusade needs, being ready to knuckle down to work, and takes the lead on a number of major strategies to return the [[Crusade]] to action.

=== 570.M41 - The Unwanted Governor - ===

Long ignored, and long treated as the lesser rewards of the House, the seat of Sector Governor is taken up by [[Dramatis Personae|Armelius Durovera]] after his sister abdicates the position in order to take control of the family's Warrant of Trade so she might lead the House fleet out into the Rimward Marches in search of treasures beyond Imperial battle-lines. Armelius is a vain man, not prepared for the position of Sector Governor, and relies heavily upon his aides. He quickly develops a friction with [[Crusade]] High Command, and makes an outright political enemy of the Warmaster. This marks the beginning of a period of upheaval and great loss for the Prosperitas Sector.

=== 577-582.M41 - The Great Losses - ===

A formerly productive and reliable agri-world supplying crops to feed many Hive-Worlds across Subsector Primus, [[Strayvia]] suffers near-total economic collapse through the mid 570s as a great portion of its able-bodied youth are shipped off to newly-founded Guard regiments to defend the Tenebris border. The resulting mutiny among the population springs into a fully-formed insurgency with reported [[Archenemy]] links, and the planet is virus-bombed in 577.M41 as part of an Exterminatus by Inquisitorial decree. The remnants of the Strayvian regiments remain committed to Battlegroup Hesperidus, embittered and downtrodden after massive casualties at the front and the loss of their homeworld.

In 582.M41 both [[Korimesta]] and [[Caudica Secundus]] suffer tragedies;

The Hive World of [[Korimesta]] sees several months of panic after the entirety of Hive Secundus is destroyed by an atomic device with the loss of billions of lives. When no further attacks are forthcoming things quieten down, but the planet remains on high alert and those behind the attack are never identified.

A thriving cultural and economic centre, the Hive World of [[Caudica Secundus]] sees a resurgence in fanatical religious activity among the miners of its southern continent. This quickly reveals itself to be a facade over an outright heretical uprising. After local authorities fail to contain the growing threat, the planet is interdicted and subjected to Exterminatus by orbital bombardment. Caudican refugees spread across the mining colonies and vessels of the sector, carrying dread tales and fear with them.

=== 580.M41 - Massacre of Blackstation 101 - ===

A hidden Inquisitorial fortress is hit by an agent of the Archenemy while many of the sector’s Inquisitors are gathered in conclave. The resulting massacre leaves a handful of survivors - a few who were there, and some who were lucky enough not to have been present. Without weight of numbers, the surviving Inquisitors are increasingly dependent on empowering their Agents to act for them, and calling upon the aid of other factions.

=== 583.M41 - The Death of Hroth - ===

The planet [[Henlock]], a Mechanicus colony in the Rimward reaches of the Sector, comes under attack from [[Archenemy]] forces. Imperial forces are caught completely off guard, and to make matters worse, a Titan of the Demi-Legion [[The Taghmata Omnissiah|Custodii Incudatem]] is captured by the Archenemy. This marks the Imperium’s first encounter with a unified Archenemy force for centuries; these forces bear the insignia of the [[Regency]] and are believed to be the remnants of that former power.

In response, [[Crusade]] High Command launches the disastrous ‘Operation Righteous Fury’, intent on blunting the so-called Talons of the Way before they can capitalize on their success at Henlock. Crusade forces easily overwhelm the Archenemy's picket fleet, but this turns out to be a trap, as a massive fleet of Archenemy vessels drops out of warp several days later. Most of Crusade High Command - including the Warmaster - and much of the Crusade Fleet are destroyed or captured in the subsequent chaos, with talk of Imperial vessels turning on each other in the midst of the battle.

=== 584-586.M41 - The Rise of Cardinal Grulge - ===

In the aftermath of [[Henlock]], the disruption of sacred ceremonies on [[Nivalis]] caused by heretic [[Navis Nobilite Houses of the Prosperitas Sector|Navigators]] sparks sector-wide unrest and attacks upon the abhumans, especially those of House de Sousa, who are blamed for the chaos. Imperial forces scramble to stop the sector falling into total anarchy as they stave off assaults from rebels, heretics and xenos alike. The arrival of reinforcements from beyond the sector and the pacification of Nivalis by the Battle Sisters of the [[Adepta Sororitas|Order of His Sanguine Tears]] provides stability at the end of 584.

With this force of Holy Warriors comes a new figure, [[Dramatis Personae|Cardinal Ignatius Grulge]]. The charismatic and ruthless Cardinal takes control of the leaderless [[Ecclesiarchy]] and sets about disciplining wayward and apostate Priests. His actions provide the sector with further stability, and spiritual guidance.

== 586.M41-595.M41 - The Reign of Falsehoods ==

'''Detailed in [[Prosperitas Sector Reports|Sector Reports I-IX]] and [[Prosperitas Gazetteer|Gazetteers I-VIII]] or more easily summarised in [[The Story So Far (Campaign 1 Part 1)]]

As far as the wider Prosperitas Sector knows - on [[Everholt]] an attempt is made on the life Sector Governor [[Prosperitas_Dramatis_Personae#Foes_of_the_Imperium|Armelius Durovera]]. The Governor, once a craven and foppish layabout and entitled child of [[House Durovera]] - seems to experience a complete change following this experience, applying himself to becoming a better ruler to his Sector. Thanks to this - and because the role within the Crusade remains absent - Armelius is able, after several years of political manuevering, to position himself Warmaster of the Prosperitas Crusade, gaining the ascent of the High Lords and enough senior Crusade staff to be the first since his ancestor Jacinta, to hold both the titles of Governor and Warmaster under once office.

It is only six years later in 592.M41 that the Inquisition becomes aware of what has occurred on Everholt - that a shape-shifting Daemon Prince known only as the 'Faceless Regent" has managed to replace the Sector Governor and gain control of the Sector. For the next three years while battles against the Archenemy rage along the Sector's Borders and internal strife threatens to tear the frontier sector apart, the Inquistion works to undermine the rule of this false-ruler lacking the resources or evidence to remove him in a bolder move, having had its power weakened over the years prior to 586 - likely due to the machinations of this same creature. In 594.M41, Inquisitorial Servants are no closer to working what the creatures ultimate goals were, but successfully banish it from reality while it apparently aids them against a far greater threat.

However over the course of the years from 592.M41 Inquisition Agents become increasingly aware of another powerful entity working quite literally in the shadows of the Prosperitas Sector. This creature, an Ur-Entity, a "Warp God" that predates known history has been trapped in a xenos-construct prison that the Imperium settled and called the Prosperitas Sector. Hemmed in by ancient machinery, the entity begins to slip its bonds. Born of the firstborn fears of all sentient life, this creature begins to induce nightmarish hallucinations and madness across the Sector. With the aid of the Faceless Regent the Inquisition are able to, apparently, drive the entity back in 594.M41 though knowledge of its existence significantly increases the interest of the wider Inquisition in the Prosperitas Sector - leading to the arrival of Lord Inquisitor Hektor Aetós in the sector and the formal formation of the Ordos Prosperitas.

Alongside these esoteric threats, the Sector is attacked within and without, cult uprisings and rebellions mark these latter years of M.41 with victories and defeats for the Crusade coming over the years - the appointment of a new Warmaster, Sarina Khan I and the recovery of another Dragos Ulian I coming as major boosts to its morale in 595. Though the return of the exiled remnants of the Regency's Military forces in the same year presents new challenges for the campaign to conquer and tame the frontier space in the Prosperitas Sector.

Internal strife comes from Warp Cults and the insurgents of the Rising Flame who both enjoy victories and defeats over these years. But there is no internal threat greater than the rising up of the [[Temple of the Saviour Emperor]] under Cardinal Grulge who, despite being excommunicated for his membership of this proscribed sect, manages to hold onto spiritual power and authority and, without Ecclesiarchy power to challenge him, remains in power at the end of these years forming his own religious state and seeking to gain influence over the remaining Imperial worlds of the Sector.

Campaign 1 - Part 1

2023-03-02T15:08:04Z

Hal:

This page summarises the events of Part 1 of the current Death Unto Darkness campaign, which ran from 2016-2021.

=== Pre-Campaign ===

==== '''Near the dawn of time…''' ====

Once, we hid from the darkness, from the shadow, and we prayed for the break of Dawn and the coming of the Light upon the pinnacles of the great pyramids we worshipped.

Until we broke the Sky, until we chained the Night.

And the Dark slept in Its prison, and waited.

==== '''Eight years ago…''' ====

Our story begins in 586.M41, with a gathering.

On the planet [[Everholt]], a world turned over to the pleasure of the Great [[Noble Houses]] of the Prosperitas Sector, and its population reduced to being gamekeepers to uncaring Imperial nobles, a triumvirate of the three great Inquisitors of the Prosperitas Sector gathered. They summoned the spoiled, arrogant and disliked Sector Governor [[Armelius Durovera]] to them, as they believed that a changeling daemon of the [[Archenemy]] was amongst the Governor's staff. They sought to warn him, but, alas, they were wrong…

The shapeshifter was, in fact, among the Inquisitorial retinues - she had always been, patiently waiting for her chance at freedom. She had worn many names, many faces; long ago, she had been mortal but, now that part of her was lost to the eons and to apotheosis. Everholt turned to chaos, as the changeling daemon turned the assets of each Inquisitor against each other, and, in the confusion, murdered them all, as well as Armelius Durovera, whose shape she took.

 
<hr>
 

=== Event 1: That Which Has No Name ===

In the wake of the chaos that ensued came several Agents of the Throne - servants of multiple lesser Inquisitors - to investigate the deaths of the great Inquisitors. They realised too late that the Sector Governor had been replaced, as the daemon bid them farewell and stepped upon a shuttle, believing them stranded on the planet.

The Agents attempted to escape the world, some accepting a ride with a strange breed of [[Orks]] claiming to be loyal to the Imperium, and others escaping through an ancient gate into the Aeldari webway, guided by a mysterious woman, who claimed to be an Agent of the Emperor.

Both parties carried a warning to their Masters.

Both warnings came too late.

… five years too late.

The twisting vagaries of the Warp conspired against them, and both groups arrived home five years after they left Everholt.

==== Meanwhile… ====
When the Agents ran to the Aeldari gate, they took with them several objects recovered from the personal effects of the Inquisitorial triumvirate. Amongst those was a statuette of some ancient being, rendered with a monstrous likeness. And the statuette was kept in the bag of an Agent.

But as they fled, they were set upon by woodland beasts. The Agent carrying the statue fell upon it, shattering seals not broken since the Old Ones walked the universe. Through the cracks on those seals slithered out a blackness, a black so dark that it threatened to snuff out any light it touched, the sliver of an entity so poisonous it had forced alliances between the most ancient of foes to bind it…

Across the shadows of the Sector, it slithered and, eventually, found its way to the whole.

A heartbeat in the dark, long-stilled in eternal slumber, pulsed once more.

==== Three years ago… ====
By 592.M41, the shape-shifting daemon had worn the face of Armelius Durovera for five years, and for five years they had re-written the universally disliked Governor. He had changed, and, so, he was loved - no, surrounded by a cult of personality - and had seized control of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]] – he was no longer the Sector Governor, he was the Warmaster of the [[Crusade]].

The warnings brought to the Inquisition about Armelius Durovera were not unheeded or ignored, but since they had arrived so late after he had set himself in power so firmly, acting on them was impossible without evidence of the accusations. Having lost its three most influential members, the [[Prosperitas Conclave]] was weak and divided and lacking the strength to just remove an individual as powerful as the Warmaster who had the ear of both the military leaders and the [[Ecclesiarchy]].

So, the Inquisition sought, instead, another avenue to unseat the false-Governor, dispatching a team of Agents beyond the Imperium’s edge to find she who could defy him…

 
<hr>
 

=== Event 2: Marches’ End ===

On the distant world of [[Finisterra]], un-graced by the light of the God-Emperor, an expeditionary fleet struggled to pacify the unruly population. It was led by the Rogue Trader, Lady-Captain [[Hermione Durovera]], Armelius’ elder sister, who had forgone her claim to the Governorship, in order to pursue the life of a Rogue Trader beyond the Imperial border - and now wanted the distant world for their own. Countless treasures lay hidden in the planet, and the Lady-Captain was unwilling to risk damaging them by turning the full force of her fleet on it.

Hermione was a clever, dangerous woman, and if she could be brought on board, she could contest her brother’s political hold on the sector - and drastically reduce the Warmaster’s strength and allies.

But the demon soon realized this too, and sent assassins to take her head. The Agents sent by the Inquisition to protect her and sway her to their side had not only to keep her safe from the Eight, but also had to go head to head with agents of the sector-wide rebel alliance, the [[Rising Flame]], who, led by Sharre Ajax, plotted to deny the Imperium the innocent world, and make an example of their hated foes.

The Agents managed to defeat the assassins - even capturing Sharre Ajax - and kill the Rising Flame commanders on-planet, while convincing Hermione of the veracity of the claims that her brother had been replaced; but they still struggled to convince her to let go of her bounty - until a new player joined the board.

Local legends referred to them as the Black Sentinels; they gave no name, and communicated only via radio transmissions, but their vessels were unmistakably that of ancient [[Astartes]]. In their messages, they claimed Finisterra was under their protection, and they told the Imperial forces in no uncertain terms that they were to retreat from the system or face the consequences.

Demoralised and battered, Imperial forces and the Lady-Captain’s fleet withdrew, and no Imperial ship that dared to travel to that system since has ever returned…

==== Meanwhile… ====
The shadows grew longer…

With the heartbeat came the whispers…

… to the desperate, to the scared, to the lonely…

They preyed upon fears, taking the smallest seed and growing it into a raging inferno. A whole Pilgrim Vessel was turned into a charnel house as the faithful's nightmares were turned upon them in the dark void.

''Black ash…''

On the world of [[Butonia]], where Witch Finders had fanned the fires of a rebellion of the ‘righteous’, it found fertile ground to spread and influence a new face of the [[Imperial faith]], twisting fanatics so terrified for their lives, that, when they prayed to the God-Emperor in their terror… the Dark listened… and they gave It strength.

''Black handprints…''

These were the first of the [[Ashen Cult]]. Its followers called It many things, but they always called It by the truth: It was the first thing humanity learned to fear while sitting around the flickering firelight in those primitive and long-gone days. It was the dark that no light could escape from. It was the First Fear, the Black, the Endless and Starless Night. It was the End, the Final Breath.

''It was Death.''

''It was the Darkness, and It had awakened.''

If not for the actions of Agents of the Throne at both Butonia and the ship, the poison would have spread much faster. By cauterising the wounds, they denied It purchase on the Sector; it was not enough to turn back the dark tide, but it would buy them time…

 
<hr>
 

=== Event 3 - In the Shadow of the Spire ===

On the wretched, dying hive-world of [[Korimesta]], an old and ancient rotting spire hid a forbidden secret, using an entire city as camouflage - for, beneath its surface, lay a massive [[xenos]] construct - a gigantic Pillar made of the fabled material Blackstone (known as Noctilith in High Gothic).

An Inquisitor of the [[Ordo Xenos]], Duplesis, shared with the rest of the Conclave a prophecy that spoke of an xenos artifact hidden beneath the city and how it was tied to the fate of the sector. Several Inquisitors sent their assets to learn more about the pillar, but Korimesta held other interests - and many agents of many masters were in play, as the Spire prepared to celebrate the Ecclesiarchical festival of [[Khan-Hattilik]].

The mysterious woman, who had led the Agents stranded on Everholt to safety though a Aeldari gate, surfaced again - wearing the garments of a [[Sororitas]] - and told the Agents a secret: that the Pillar was not a single artefact. Rather, that it was a node in a network made of several (now three) of such devices - all part of something far greater - and she was its guardian. She eventually admitted that, were this network to completely fail, the tides of the Warp would surge and engulf the sector.

Then, death came, and it wore the face of Grandfather Nurgle - the remnant-cult of the Withered Angel erupted in uprising seeking to bring pain and death in the name of their daemonic patron, summoning forth a Herald and its ever-hungry servants. But the Agents of the Throne stood in its way, and through the spiritual blessing of the Emperor’s Saints, the daemonic presence was cleansed.

A warning came from the most unexpected of sources - a possessed Astropath disgorged an image of the Warmaster, who claimed he was just as interested as they were in keeping the Pillars active. The shapeshifter told them that the Archenemy had recently become aware of the location of that Pillar, and one of their battleships was en route to Korimesta to obliterate the planet - and the Pillar with it. After all, were the Eye of Terror to expand, the Archenemy’s work would be made much easier. They needed to destroy the ship before it could destroy the planet. They could heed its warnings or not, but it would be on their heads if they didn’t.

Sensing it was about to be thwarted, the Blood-God sent its servants to attack, which forced the Agents of the Throne to split their forces: some would protect the spire, and some took their battle to the Archenemy’s battleship, the ''Spear of the Forefather'', sabotaging its warp engines and scuttling it before it could reach Korimesta. But their victory would not be without a heavy cost, for while ten went in, only nine came out - and Battlesister Alicia Rose, one of the Emperor’s Daughters, was the one who fell so that others could live.

That was not the only sacrifice that day. Many died, many were broken beyond repair, and an entire noble bloodline was extinguished. But, perhaps, the greatest sacrifice was how the Agents agreed to return home empty-handed - and face their Inquisitors. It was agreed that no Inquisitor should have the Pillar, for it was too vital - and too dangerous. With the help of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]], the mysterious keeper of the Pillar stabilized the spire, so it would not collapse when she teleported the Pillar using ancient technologies to a new and unknown location.

The Agents had triumphed, Korimesta still stood.

But its death was not long coming…

===== '''Meanwhile…''' =====
A flicker in the defences of the Pillar, while it rebooted, and a compact between a shadowy conspiracy and the forces of the Archenemy known as the [[Children of Tain]], exploited the weakness in the veil to launch a massive assault on the Crusade Headquarters at the heavily defended [[Polarnus Station]]. Infiltrated agents caused the defences to fail or turn on the noble Imperial defenders of the station.

And, in the shadows of this chaos, It grew too, swelling in power and strength. Like a cancer, It spread, more cults growing in the dark, spreading from the bowels of the hive cities to the black bellies of starship holds; In the shadows, It grew, as desperation and fear festered in the sector.

What perhaps was more curious, is that the Warmaster, or the daemon supposedly masquerading as him, took no steps to sow chaos, no steps to bring discord. Instead, she sought to bring hope to the people, sought to combat It -- only fueling the suspicions of the Inquisition that she had a part in all this…

Fires began to spread: small ones at first, but long-dormant fractures between the Great Houses began to re-emerge, ancient hatreds were acted upon once more, and civil war seemed just around the corner.

All it would take was but a spark to ignite it.

The year was 593.M41 and the Prosperitas Sector was beginning to splinter…

 
<hr>
 

=== Event 4 - On Polarnus Station ===

There was no doubt that Polarnus Station had to be retaken from the Archenemy. Without it, the Crusade would falter and likely die. But there were other reasons for the Inquisition to send its Agents to the station: hidden within it, an Inquisitorial Black Site, one of the Inquisition’s storehouses of forbidden and confiscated artefacts. Perhaps, more importantly, it now contained a Phylactery, an arcane storage unit believed to contain some component of the false-Warmaster’s soul, the only conduit the Inquisition had to potentially banish the daemon.

But Polarnus was a trap.

For when the fall of Polarnus had been plotted, it had been done so knowing that the Inquisition would want to evacuate the Black Site. Hidden behind the gullible forces of the Archenemy, the conspirator waited for their moment to come.

After infiltrating the station to get to the vault and acquire the Phylactery, the Agents had to fight against not only the Archenemy, but also the Darkness. It had grown strong enough to manifest in the physical space in Its true form, a spreading black shadow that consumed all It touched with growing madness. It was more than a mental change of state, but a physical, festering parasitic fear that erupted from the dead and wore their corpses as its foul puppets to feed on death and fear. It was turned back, after some Agents braved Its grasp to step within It, and see with their eyes for the first time the vast Black Desert in which It was awakening from Its slumber.

Finally, the Black Site was breached, and the precious cargo acquired - and who would have noticed, among all those terrifying and precious things, were one to go missing?

In the meantime, the Inquisition was betrayed both from within their own number and from without, as Inquisitor Alexandros Voss and Arbiter Drusilla Vox, both now servants of the false-Warmaster, took charge of the operation and attempted to abscond with the Phylactery, aided by other infiltrated servants of the Warmaster.

But the other Inquisitors were not as blind as Voss would believe. Their betrayal failed and the Phylactery was destroyed, some say by a miracle of the Emperor, or even by a manifested Living Saint. Still, both of the traitors escaped before they could be brought to justice.

However, the Agents were now in a unique position of being able to take back the station: coordinating their efforts with those of Vice-Admiral Chandier, who had been stranded in the station, they managed to take back the defenses and exorcise the Demon that had been installed inside the station’s mainframe, turning the table on the invaders.

Polarnus stands, the Agents survived, the traitors were exposed and the Warmaster was wounded.

But the siege of Polarnus had served the purpose of its engineer, and the Agents had played their roles beautifully. A vessel sped away from the station, carrying their true target, ITEM-001 PDBX, the first artefact ever stored within the Inquisitorial Blacksite centuries ago - containing an unimaginable treasure…

… a viable genetic sample of the God-Emperor himself.

==== Meanwhile… ====
When his phylactery was destroyed, the Warmaster was in a meeting with the [[Crusade High Command]] - and the blow forced him to manifest into his true form and kill those with him. It was claimed the Warmaster had been the target of an attempt on his life, that he had barely survived and had claimed the lives of all of his companions. That is why, it was said, the Warmaster became so ill that he retired from public view.

Like jackals after tasting blood, the sudden ‘illness’ of the Warmaster, the Great Houses of the Prosperitas sector made their plays to seize power and grow to new strengths.

In turn, the Rising Flame also rose up in open defiance of the Imperium, with more and more worlds sympathetic to its cause, protecting the local populace even as dangers spilled in from the warp. Their once-captured leader, Sharre Ajax, also apparently escaped his prison on Polarnus during the chaos of the siege.

Though the forces of Chaos had been beaten back, the Imperium could not be saved from itself, as more strife and discord spread…

… and the Darkness continued to swell…

 
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=== Event 5 - The Forgotten ===

The Agents were sent to the world of [[Midsummer]], to investigate strange transmissions that were detected by Inquisitorial Auspexes. On the vital agri-world, where nature cults blended with the Imperial cult, something lay: an ancient rift leading to a Realm of Blood and War - the Kingdom of Khorne.

As the Agents found the source of the transmissions, they came upon a lone and wounded sentinel: one of the “Dark Sentinels” of Finisterra, an Astartes of the Second Legion, also known as the Silver Circle.

Long-bound within an ancient axe - known as the Malamawr, and that was guarded by one of the mysterious Astartes that had driven the Imperium from Finisterra - was a Daemon known only as The Red Saint. The Astartes warrior was the keeper of the axe, to ensure that the Red Saint would never be freed.

However, the corrupting influence of blood and slaughter had begun to seep into the world, thanks to agents of the Blood God known as the Red Hand. A blood sickness was spreading slowly, twisting local rites towards the Lord of Skulls, and their sudden attacks had left the Guardian badly wounded - he sent the transmissions for help, for reinforcements of his legion. But who would come knocking if not the Inquisition?

Sensing the rise of the Dark, and the threat that came with a fifth power older than all of the Chaos Gods, Khorne sent forth its servants - not to make war upon the Imperium, but to cleanse the Prosperitas Sector from the influence of the Darkness. Its plan was to have an army of bloody brass daemons march forth from the rift, and remove all life from the Prosperitas Sector. That way, the forgotten waking god would have no fear and no nightmares to prey upon, and no power to reclaim.

The Red Saint was freed from its ancient prison, and found a new vessel. For the Red Hand had brought with them a trophy stolen from the Nurgle battleship ''Spear of the Forefather'': the Sister of Battle who had fallen fighting for the fate of Korimesta - the corpse of Alicia Rose herself. Through bloody necromancy, the Blood God returned the once-pure Soror to life, and rendered her open to serve as the new vessel of its servant.

But the plan of the Blood God ultimately failed. Though the Agents were not able to stop the new Red Saint escaping the surface of Midsummer, they were able to prevent its servants from opening the warp-rift wide, turning the world into a gateway of chaos and immersing it within a new warp-storm.

In doing so, they made valuable allies, in the form of both the mysterious Astartes who came to fight by their side to protect the planet, and the strange xenos known as the Ishari - an offshoot of the Aeldari race that had lived for millennia in the hidden dimensions of the Prosperitas Sector, and who had intimate knowledge of the Darkness - for they were rebels against an oppressive regime controlled by the Whispering God…

==== Meanwhile… ====
As the year closed, so did the hope of peace between the Nobility - with the return of Hermione Durovera to the sector at the head of an armada of powerful warships, accompanied by the ill-omened Astartes of the [[Void Hounds]] Chapter. These brutal warriors enabled her to conquer the Sector's capital-world of Duroverum from the supporters of her ‘brother’, who was still missing.

As Agents battled the tide of the Darkness by bringing hope to the Sector, others sought to bring some peace, turning to the might of the Ecclesiastical Palace on Terra - and summoning the wrath of the Ecclesiarch against the sector’s [[Cardinal Grulge]] who had, for several years now, been gathering a sizable force of [[Fidelis Militia]] in clear defiance of the Decree Passive (which forbids the Ecclesiarchy from raising combat forces other than the Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas).

On [[Persephon]], long-held by an Ork Waagh!!, a Kill-Team launched an assault on the Ork Warboss there. Much to their horror, they discovered that the whole invasion had been long-masterminded by the forces of Chaos, and the Warboss Gazbag was little more than the wizened puppet of a warp-entity. Though the Orks vanished from the surface in a sorcerous conflagration shortly after, the Inquisition has yet to celebrate, because the tainted Ork horde may yet appear again.

Refusing to recognise Hermione Durovera as Sector Governor, the Great Houses of the Imperial Nobility began to splinter, with open civil war only held off by the threat implied by the potent Astartes at Hermione Durovera’s command.

In clear defiance of the Imperium, the planet Korimesta rose up and threw off the Imperial yoke. The monstrous Gloriana-class battleship ''Iron Lady'' was dispatched to make an example of the world.

Worse still, on the turning of the year and Candlemass’ coming, a threat was exposed within the Commissariat - Archenemy sleeper agents were awoken, and a campaign of sabotage erupted across the Imperium.

The year was 594.M41… as treachery and civil war erupted.

 
<hr>
 

=== Event 6 - Immersabilis ===

As the sector crumbled, the Inquisition dispatched Agents to the cruise liner ''St Sanguinius'' in pursuit of a new target - a second phylactery of the false-Warmaster – with which they hoped to locate the wounded daemon and end its threat once and for all. The phylactery was brought to be sold in an illegal auction, with the seller clearly unaware of what it truly contained.

Unfortunately for the Agents, they weren’t the only party interested in the vessel, and the terrorists of the Rising Flame made the first move. Overwhelmed by the ongoing siege of Korimesta, the terrorist group sought to turn the ''St Sanguinius'' into a deadly missile to destroy the ''Iron Lady'' and save Korimesta. Although the Agents put down the hijackers, they had caused enough chaos that the ship, already imperilled, was caught within the edge of the swelling influence of the Darkness - allowing It to consume the ship’s Navigator and turn her into Its thing.

It was in this desperate hour that choices had to be made - and none of them good:

The false-Warmaster revealed herself to the assembled Agents - shedding her disguise as a famous singer aboard the vessel. She pleaded with them to let her help - that she would teach them how to bind the Darkness and escape its realm.

The Chaos Gods manifested their will in the shape of a single unified daemonic herald appearing as four separate entities, the Beast of the Apocalypse. They offered the Agents protection from the Darkness in exchange for the Changeling-Warmaster - who they had tortured for millennia, and allowed to escape for sport, before recapturing her again, in an endless cycle.

The Darkness came too - it had grown in power, spawning mighty ‘Castellans’ as emanations of its will - similar to greater daemons. Speaking though the foremost of these, the Castellan of the North, it informed the Agents that it had no hatred of them, that it was the End, and therefore, like all things, the Agents were Its own, would come to It eventually, and It loved them. And that all It wanted was the Changeling-Warmaster and once they gave her to It, It would free them from Its realm.

Of all the terrible options, a group seemed to choose to go with the devil they knew. But, in the moments before the Warmaster attempted to free the ship from the Warp, others had different ideas, and a dark pact was signed, and an aspect of the Dark God Slaanesh, the Twin Coiling Serpents, stole a mote of power from the Darkness.

Though the vessel pulled free, neither the Darkness nor the false-Warmaster came with it… and both faded back into the Warp - the Changeling seemingly turned to ash, the God wounded.

 
<hr>
 

=== Aftermath ===

==== Immediately after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
If the Ordos Prosperitas believed that the ‘death’ of the Changeling - might have bought them respite, they were soon proven wrong…

Auguries upon the state of the imprisoned Ur-Entity known as ‘The Darkness’ or ‘The First Fear’ showed that the actions of Acolytes aboard the St Sanguinius had, in some way, ‘wounded’ it, reducing its ability to extend its influence beyond its prison. But even as nightmares faded from the minds of the innocent, and shadows stopped moving, the augaries detected a new doom approaching: the sign of the Dorghar, the Beast of the Apocalypse, was drawn consistently - for, as Acolytes had wounded the Darkness and the Changeling Daemon Prince aboard the St Sanguinius, someone had let something else in…

The Snake rose in the Warp, and began to weave its sixfold path into the Prosperitas Sector.

 
<hr>
 

==== Days after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Though the Ordos Prosperitas were soon made aware of the ill portents, things that had been set in motion long before the St Sanguinius left port continued without the hidden hand of the Inquisition able to stay them.

On Korimesta, a world that had very nearly driven off the influence of House Vilas-Lobo and seceded from the Imperium with the aid of the trans-Prosperitas resistance of the Rising Flame, the Imperial forces of the Prosperitas Crusade meted out brutal punishments to the rebels. Turned into a work camp by House Globex, who purchased the world from House Vilas-Lobo, Korimesta was made into an example by the Imperium. While this temporarily damaged morale amongst the Rising Flame, it also furthered tensions between those who identified as Imperials and those who identified as part of the Annwfyn and Ruwwad ethnic groups - with widespread hostility only growing in the aftermath of the slaughter of the rebels-

Meanwhile, the tensions in the ever-chaotic politics of the Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector continued to rise: with House Monforte’s Lord missing, presumed dead, and the ailing finances of the house exposed - its debtors and rivals fell upon it, reducing what remained of it to a Beggar House. Its greatest spoils went to the Great Houses of Durovera, Vilas-Lobo and Di Firro, who coordinated the ruin of their once-rival. The greatest of the prizes being the Charters of the House - the contracted essential services of the Imperium. While the two Rogue Trader Houses kept their spoils, House Vilas-Lobo surprised many by granting theirs to the ‘upstart’ nobility of House Ruttyer - a surprising alliance, given that Vilas-Lobo once sneered down their noses at a House with barely a century of history.

With the Inquisition confirming the ‘death’ of Armelius Durovera (while avoiding any tales that could undermine his House), and with no heirs appointed, the Sector Nobility are forced to begrudgingly accept the succession of the Rogue Trader, Hermione Durovera, to the position of Sector Governor. This does not mean peace, though, for while formal civil war has failed to erupt, the ancient War of Blades - hidden beneath an ostensive ‘Cold War’ between the various Houses - continues. Hermione Durovera’s rule is legitimated, but by no means complete: while she can call the major worlds of Subsector Primus largely loyal to her, the other Houses’ influences and territories mean that, ultimately, the situation amongst the Prosperitas Nobility returns to what it has always been - Legitimised Warlords ruling the Imperial Frontier.

 
<hr>
 

==== Weeks after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Again and again, the sign of Dorghar, the Beast of the Apocalypse was drawn by the Augers of the Prosperitas Conclave. The Inquisition searches madly for the source of the coming threat; there are frantic warnings to keep eyes out along the Eye-wards frontier of the Prosperitas Sector, searching for any signs of warp disturbances - as Inquisitorial forces deploy what meagre resources they can pull together to support dilapidated Arbites and local Enforcers for any coming storm. No risk is discounted, and, yet, the Imperium is still woefully unprepared when the threat does come.

In the weeks that follow, the Eye of Terror - the swirling Warp Storm that the Prosperitas Sector so perilously orbits - ‘opens’. Though the nature of perceiving a vortex into hell is difficult to put into words, the surge in warp energies washed through the Sector. The first signs are the nightmares, as human minds, sensitive to the energies of the warp, are overloaded by hellish visions; the poor unfortunates who are more sensitive than most, and lack training to cope, are driven to madness - between psychological trauma and the increased tension from sleepless nights, violence spills out into the streets. With tensions amongst the various sub-groups of the Prosperitas Sector already high, that’s where civility is the first to break. It takes little effort to ignite riots, and with the worlds of the Prosperitas frontier lacking the garrisons of the mighty worlds of the Imperium, control is hard to reassert.

The Cults of the Archenemy arise in the aftermath, urged on by dreams interpreted as messages from ‘caring’ otherworldly masters - or simply exploiting the chaos. The Terrorist-Cult of the Red Hand is the most widespread instigator of the violence - their song of Khorne-the-Liberator in the avatar of their ‘Red Saint’ has gained them a following of the dispossesed and discarded, and, more worryingly, the war-wounded veterans of the Prosperitas Crusade, who have been cast off for no longer being of use to the Imperium’s wars.

But the threat does not just come from within: without the Weeping Eye and Creeping Death, tribal warbands of pirates and eye-barbarians, whose leaders gave worship to the Plaguefather, and have been harassing the Prosperitas Crusade for years, greatly benefit from favourable warp tides. They cross the border of the Sector and launch an attack that brings Kelper Prime, the stalwart fortress world that has resisted the push of the forces of Chaos for centuries, to finally fall to plague and invasion. Worse still, Olethros Secunda, a world previously believed to be completely safe, also falls to Archenemy invaders. It is only due to the sacrifice of Rogue Trader Lady-Captain Khadija Majid, who coordinated the mediocre system defence fleet (losing her life in the process) that any managed to escape the invasion - and bring word of the regimented Archenemy forces not seen since the days of the Regency, the former traitor rulers of the Prosperitas Sector.

Not all portents pointed to doom, however - Lord Inquisitor Hector Aetós of Terra arrives in the sector, and effectively reorganised the still loyal Inquisitors of the Prosperitas Sector into a formal Inquisitorial Conclave under the title “Ordos Prosperitas”.

At the same time, Emmissarius-Palantine Sylas Derrig Soren van Boren de Toombes, Envoy First Class, Servant of the Master of the Adeptus Administratum, Scion of House Boren de Toombes, Bearer of the Voice of the Throne, representative of the High Lords of Terra, also arrives at the sector - nominally, he is here to formally invest Hermione Durovera with the throne of Sector Governor; but he also represents increased pressure on the Sector Governors to fulfil their duty to Terra - and ensuring that one of the major supply routes into Cadia remains open no matter what. The Space Marines of the Void Hounds Chapter, whose alliance with House Durovera ensured she survived long enough to hold onto her Throne, finally departs the sector after the Emmissarius-Palantine hands them edict from the High Lords - requiring them to return to their chapter fleet with petitions to join another warzone. As a sign of whatever pact Hermione Durovera made with their Chapter Master, they leave an Honour Guard of Battle Brothers to act as her bodyguards.

 
<hr>
 

==== Months after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Though the Ordos Prosperitas were able to gather their united resources with some donated from the Terran Conclave by Inquisitor Aetos - as well as opening various forbidden vaults provided by Terra - they continue to grapple with strife within the Imperium. At the same time, at the borders of the Sector, the Crusade musters to respond to the assaults on Kelper Prime and Olethros Secunda. In the process, Mawson’s Wake also falls silent, leaving many to believe it has been conquered by the same forces that took Olethros.

Surprisingly, the enemy does not reveal itself on the battlefield, rather in the courts of the Nobles of Subsector Secundus. There, shrouded diplomats, showing not an inch of bare skin, arrive wearing gilded masks adorned with scales like those of serpents. These heralds seem to have no fear in the face of almost certain execution by their hosts - instead, they deliver a plea from their Masters: they claim to represent the ‘rightful’ governors of the Sector, the members of the Archenemy Regency who survived being overthrown in the early years of the Crusade. These diplomats are eloquent, and surprisingly captivating - as many survive to walk out of the glittering halls after giving their tidings;

We will let you Govern, if you simply renounce your God-Emperor; our goals are the same - our duty, sacred.

The Inquisition begins hunting down these emissaries where it can, but it does not have the resources to outright depose and exterminate those who listened to the poisonous message - not without these nobles showing signs of corruption first - for such is the power and reach of those born to heritages of power and tradition. But it is obvious to everyone in the Ordos Prosperitas that the seeds have been planted. Inquisitors send spies, and move kill teams into position to ensure that the damage can be mitigated when this venomous seeding eventually comes into bloom.

However, not all problems are due to the Ruinous Powers. While the Inquisition wearily waits for the dark message to bear fruit, the dance of assassinations and underhanded sabotage between the High-Born continues. In the meantime, the Inquisition’s concern is directed towards the continued entrenchment of Cardinal Ignatius Grulge. Although his opponents and the Ordos Prosperitas have secured a formal Excommunication for his involvement in the proscribed Temple of the Saviour Emperor, the popular support for the Cardinal remains untouched. Imperial Propaganda takes to calling him ‘The Heresiarch’, mocking him for his intention to be opposed to the Ecclesiarch on Terra. Although he is formally identified within the Temple as an ‘Archimandrite’, Grulge owns the insulting title - using it as an example to his followers of how the Ecclesiarchy ‘establishment’ fears their power. It proves exceedingly difficult to turn public opinion against Grulge: the Ecclesiarch is a distant figure on a world near-mythological to citizens who will never see it, while Grulge is right here in the sector, doing what he can for the common man.

The Gearwright Sect - an unsanctioned group of believers who believe in the Sainthood of an Olethran Citizen (and, problematically, an Astropath), Cal Gearwright - have become a strong opposition to the temple, with more moderate ‘traditional’ elements of the Ecclesiarchy increasingly out of touch, and marginalised in the battle for the souls of the God-Emperor’s faithful. By comparison, more established - and with more armed and more militant followers - Grulge and the Temple’s reaction to the upstarts is predictable: Gearwright gatherings are frequent targets of horrendous interfaith violence. As they are unrecognised by the Ecclesiarch, which classifies them as heretics themselves, the Imperial law largely prevents formal intervention to protect the Gearwrights. This causes Arbites and Sororitas interventions to inevitably lead to three-way battles, as both Imperial forces seek to punish all present.

To make matters more concerning, an Imperial Assassin fails to execute Grulge in the waning months of the year - as the Heresiarch seemingly manifests some form of miracle to protect himself from the blade of his killers, and emerging unscarred. Unsurprisingly, this only strengthens the widespread belief in his legitimacy. His power in the Sector continues to grow, and many amongst the Nobility and Commanders of the Prosperitas Crusade hesitate to directly bring the fight to him: their priority is to ensure that the Sector does not fall to the Archenemy first and foremost; committing their already strained resources to an ecumenical squabble does not seem tactically sound.

 
<hr>
 

==== One Year after the St. Sanguinius Incident… ====
Exactly six months after their masked Diplomats visited the Houses of Subsector Secundus, multiple fleets in old Imperial Army configurations - and bearing the heretical insignia of the Eye of Horus - arrive to the Prosperitas Sector. These represent the exiled remnants of the [[Regency]]. While the enemy forces in the early years of the Prosperitas Crusade were mostly conscripted forces led by those loyal to the Archenemy - the members of the Regency descend from those loyalists - fanatics that were loyal enough to follow their surviving masters into years of exile in the deep void, doing Emperor-knows-what to survive. They are a far cry from the rabble of rebels, pirates and barbarians that the Prosperitas Crusade faced many years ago.

The Regency strikes first at Lerwick and Hellaerus III, where it is met with swiftly organised resistance; but, with the Crusade disunited and in disarray, and lacking a Warmaster for well over a year, it is only the most unexpected of assistance that allows them to weather either assault. At Lerwick, it is believed that Rising Flame infiltrators within the orbital defence grid retask it to intercept the Regency fleet before it translates from the Warp - a manoeuvre that saves the day. That particular bit of information is suppressed by the Inquisition, who, despite their best efforts, find no living Rising Flame infiltrators to interrogate - as all souls aboard the control platform are found dead, with some executed by mass-reactive rounds.

At Hellaerus III, rescue comes from dark-armoured Astartes who only identify themselves as the “Lions of Nemea''. Though equipped with weaponry considered outdated by Imperial standards, these marines strike swiftly in support of the Imperial Navy, and manage to destroy several vessels - before fading from the battlefront as quickly as they emerged. They remain distant from Imperial forces in the months that follow, appearing where they are needed, but committing little and communicating even less. Inquisitor Jean Luc Valtrois of the Ordo Astartes and Ordo Prosperitas provides a closed-doors briefing to several major leaders, and silences any suspicions about the Chapter’s arrival.

But the Regency is not without its victories: the lack of Crusade coordination - combined with the infighting between Mechanicus factions on the surface of Henlock - allows the Archenemy forces and their allied Hereteks to retain control of the Titan graveyard. Blame is largely placed upon the forces of Naximus Prime - whether because of long standing prejudices towards Naximus from the other Forges, or because Naximus has spent much of the war focusing its forces on stripping technology from the Graveyard instead of securing their positions. This has seriously strained relations between the Naximus and the sole Knight World of the Sector, Anaximund Alpha - whose loyalties are held by ancient pacts to the Forge World, but who increasingly feel their honour is tested by the dishonourable cold and calculated actions of their Masters.

 
<hr>
 

==== Months Before the Silence… ====
In the few months before the Silence, no one, not even the Prosperitas Conclave, had any idea what was coming: perhaps some mysterious alien Seers, always calculating and everwatching, saw what was looming over the Mon’keighs. If they did, they remained silent, and watched only - as they had for centuries before, as they would for centuries after.

It became apparent to all that without an appointed Warmaster, the Prosperitas Crusade was rudderless, and lacked the ability to effectively coordinate. Sarina Khan, Admiral of the Battlefleet Prosperitas was, by merit, the best choice - and, in better times, this would definitely not have been sufficient. Khan is Ruwwad by ethnicity, a native of the Prosperitas Sector, which was the blackest of marks, despite a spotless career record and a list of victories under her belt. Furthermore, the tensions surrounding native Prosperitans and “True” Imperials sparked by the conflict on Korimesta would normally mean that she was politically unappealing to both the Nobles of the Prosperitas Sector, and many in the Crusade. But with tragedy hitting on all fronts, Khan’s enemies were fragmented, and, with the Noble Houses at each other's throats, what influence they might have been able to use to push their ‘preferred’ candidates was too splintered: no House would be seen backing someone that others were backing as well, and the ‘traditionalist’ military faction within the Crusade (which had often relied upon the support of the Houses, with many of them being Nobles themselves) was fragmented. By comparison, the reformist elements of the Crusade, though lacking the power and swing of Noble Houses to support their own candidates, were, by comparison, united behind Khan. In the end, it was Hermione Durovera’s greed that ultimately secured Khan’s succession: the Sector Governor effectively discounted herself from making the appointment of Warmaster by choosing herself. However, lacking the sway her brother had used when he made a similar move, it fell to the Terran delegation and Emmissarius-Palantine Sylas Derrig Soren van Boren de Toombes to make the decision. Seeming to have a talent to spot the sane voices in his delegation, as well as those in the Ordos Prosperitas, de Toombes determined Khan’s ascension.

Warmaster Khan I of the Prosperitas Crusade immediately set to work, by reorganising the campaign against the Archenemy, while also redistributing forces to ensure that the Imperial line held strong. Her position was by no means secure, but she showed admirable ability to flatter and compromise with her opponents to ensure they were both making themselves useful, and were conveniently positioned where they could interfere less in her affairs.

While the Crusade Forces reorganised to face a new threat, the Inquisition dispatched a Strike Force into the Wake - a blighted region of space, and a haven to pirates and other heretics. They sought a missing artefact - a large coffin of unusual origin. The Inquisition forces ultimately manage to throw a wrench into the plans of the Changer of Ways, who was attempting to manipulate the skein of fate to bring forth one of its Champions to unleash upon the Sector. Much to its consternation, the Acolytes manage to rescue an individual thought lost to the tides of history, and kept captive by the Changer - Warmaster Dragos Ulian and his Emperor-class Battleship, the Lion of Terra.

Cleared by the Inquisition of taint and madness, Dragos Ulian is returned to the Crusade, where many traditionalists argue that Khan must stand down and make way for him. But Ulian was very much similar to Khan in his day, and refuses to become the pawn in the politics of the Crusade. So, he steps aside willingly, retiring, instead, to the role of ‘Warmaster-Emmiratus’ - acting as an advisor to the Warmaster but abdicating from any direct control over the Crusade. The return of the Lion of Terra and her Master is totemic, and boosts the Crusade morale, which rallies even in the face of the brutal fighting against the Regency, and the harassment of pirates and eye-barbarians.

And then, Silence…

 
<hr>
 

=== The Silence ===

The first signs came when the astropathic Choirs became tranquil, and their songs became whispers, then faded altogether. The courier ships that carried messages from out-sector, soon were carrying them within…

Not long after, Navigators became blind, and could not find their way in the pathways of the stars…

Soon, all warp engines, even those of the mighty warships of Battlefleet Prosperitas sputtered, then went to sleep…

And, in a Sector wracked by war and conflict, there was just… Silence.

At first, the Inquisition dispatched its servants across the Sector, trying to find any clues to explain what was happening: there were concerns about a possible contamination of the Choirs by some unknown means - but, soon, the phenomena intensified and went past the quieted voices. Little by little, a veil was drawn around the sector, as the Navigators were next, grounding countless vessels, and forcing a few others to ‘warp skips’.

When, suddenly, the veil between warp and reality hardened entirely. Not even the warp drives of battleships could breach it, and go to warp.

The Sector was still, and its worlds completely cut off from each other.

In active warzones, the fighting continued, with the phenomena striking the enemies of the Imperium equality harshly, with neither side having hopes of reinforcements. A myriad of planetary wars continued, but the sector-wide theatre was painfully slow. Without astropaths, communications had to happen through more ancient, slower forms of transmission - taking weeks, months even, depending on the quality of broadcast. But, for every beleaguered Imperial force, there were Archenemy advances that stuttered to a halt, as daemon-touched war-engines suddenly went quiet, with the neverborn within ceasing to exist.

Those left stranded in realspace were the lucky ones - because those travelling in the warp when the Silence fully fell found themselves trapped in a sterile and timeless otherealm, detached from time and space, completely oblivious of what was going on around them.

And although all was quiet, there were still predators…

 
<hr>
 

==== A Time of Stillness ====
For one long year (Terran Standard), the Prosperitas Sector was affected by the Silence, with communication between worlds reduced to primitive methods for all but those with access to the most potent techno arcana. This isolated the sector, but also slowed the forces of the Archenemy who faced similar - if not worse - disruption. Though Psykers remained able to call upon the energies of the warp, the barrier was so thickened that it weakened their power too, while preventing anything from the other side from passing through.

The Silence was exploited by those in power - especially Hermione Durovera - to ignite passionate Imperialist sentiments in the population, and encouraged a banding of all those who considered themselves loyal to the Imperium. This isolated those who stood apart, especially the Annwfyn and Ruwwad social groups, which, in turn, led to increasing tensions. Even when the warp suddenly came back in Mid-596.M41, the popular rallying cry of “Imperium Prosperitas” remained in use.

 
<hr>
 

==== The Tide Comes In ====
It would have been poetic if the Silence had ended with some fanfare, tragedy or Chaos…but in truth, it was nothing as dramatic.

At first, nobody was aware the Silence had ended - until the first Astropathic messages reached the unprepared and idle Astropaths. It was a slow, sleepy awakening for those who had spent nearly a year with little news from the great outside, and little to fear but the threats inside.

The Ordos Prosperitas sought answers, but, to this day, are still no closer to working out its cause. The commonly held belief lays blame on a Warp Surge, suggesting that perhaps the strange realm that houses the Darkness, and is informally known as “the Prison”, had reacted to the tidal energies of the Eye, and projected a Sector-wide anti-Warp field, to protect itself from intrusion. Such a reaction would imply some degree of guiding sentience behind the workings of the Prison, making the Ordos have resolutely decided it would be better if the Adeptus Mechanicus not bound to the Inquisition were not informed of this particular theory for a myriad of reasons.

Campaign 1 - Part 1

2023-03-02T15:05:34Z

Hal:

This page summarises the events of Part 1 of the current Death Unto Darkness campaign, which ran from 2016-2021.

===== '''Near the dawn of time…''' =====

Once, we hid from the darkness, from the shadow, and we prayed for the break of Dawn and the coming of the Light upon the pinnacles of the great pyramids we worshipped.

Until we broke the Sky, until we chained the Night.

And the Dark slept in Its prison, and waited.

===== '''Eight years ago…''' =====

Our story begins in 586.M41, with a gathering.

On the planet [[Everholt]], a world turned over to the pleasure of the Great [[Noble Houses]] of the Prosperitas Sector, and its population reduced to being gamekeepers to uncaring Imperial nobles, a triumvirate of the three great Inquisitors of the Prosperitas Sector gathered. They summoned the spoiled, arrogant and disliked Sector Governor [[Armelius Durovera]] to them, as they believed that a changeling daemon of the [[Archenemy]] was amongst the Governor's staff. They sought to warn him, but, alas, they were wrong…

The shapeshifter was, in fact, among the Inquisitorial retinues - she had always been, patiently waiting for her chance at freedom. She had worn many names, many faces; long ago, she had been mortal but, now that part of her was lost to the eons and to apotheosis. Everholt turned to chaos, as the changeling daemon turned the assets of each Inquisitor against each other, and, in the confusion, murdered them all, as well as Armelius Durovera, whose shape she took.

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 1: That Which Has No Name ====

In the wake of the chaos that ensued came several Agents of the Throne - servants of multiple lesser Inquisitors - to investigate the deaths of the great Inquisitors. They realised too late that the Sector Governor had been replaced, as the daemon bid them farewell and stepped upon a shuttle, believing them stranded on the planet.

The Agents attempted to escape the world, some accepting a ride with a strange breed of [[Orks]] claiming to be loyal to the Imperium, and others escaping through an ancient gate into the Aeldari webway, guided by a mysterious woman, who claimed to be an Agent of the Emperor.

Both parties carried a warning to their Masters.

Both warnings came too late.

… five years too late.

The twisting vagaries of the Warp conspired against them, and both groups arrived home five years after they left Everholt.

===== Meanwhile… =====
When the Agents ran to the Aeldari gate, they took with them several objects recovered from the personal effects of the Inquisitorial triumvirate. Amongst those was a statuette of some ancient being, rendered with a monstrous likeness. And the statuette was kept in the bag of an Agent.

But as they fled, they were set upon by woodland beasts. The Agent carrying the statue fell upon it, shattering seals not broken since the Old Ones walked the universe. Through the cracks on those seals slithered out a blackness, a black so dark that it threatened to snuff out any light it touched, the sliver of an entity so poisonous it had forced alliances between the most ancient of foes to bind it…

Across the shadows of the Sector, it slithered and, eventually, found its way to the whole.

A heartbeat in the dark, long-stilled in eternal slumber, pulsed once more.

===== Three years ago… =====
By 592.M41, the shape-shifting daemon had worn the face of Armelius Durovera for five years, and for five years they had re-written the universally disliked Governor. He had changed, and, so, he was loved - no, surrounded by a cult of personality - and had seized control of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]] – he was no longer the Sector Governor, he was the Warmaster of the [[Crusade]].

The warnings brought to the Inquisition about Armelius Durovera were not unheeded or ignored, but since they had arrived so late after he had set himself in power so firmly, acting on them was impossible without evidence of the accusations. Having lost its three most influential members, the [[Prosperitas Conclave]] was weak and divided and lacking the strength to just remove an individual as powerful as the Warmaster who had the ear of both the military leaders and the [[Ecclesiarchy]].

So, the Inquisition sought, instead, another avenue to unseat the false-Governor, dispatching a team of Agents beyond the Imperium’s edge to find she who could defy him…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 2: Marches’ End ====

On the distant world of [[Finisterra]], un-graced by the light of the God-Emperor, an expeditionary fleet struggled to pacify the unruly population. It was led by the Rogue Trader, Lady-Captain [[Hermione Durovera]], Armelius’ elder sister, who had forgone her claim to the Governorship, in order to pursue the life of a Rogue Trader beyond the Imperial border - and now wanted the distant world for their own. Countless treasures lay hidden in the planet, and the Lady-Captain was unwilling to risk damaging them by turning the full force of her fleet on it.

Hermione was a clever, dangerous woman, and if she could be brought on board, she could contest her brother’s political hold on the sector - and drastically reduce the Warmaster’s strength and allies.

But the demon soon realized this too, and sent assassins to take her head. The Agents sent by the Inquisition to protect her and sway her to their side had not only to keep her safe from the Eight, but also had to go head to head with agents of the sector-wide rebel alliance, the [[Rising Flame]], who, led by Sharre Ajax, plotted to deny the Imperium the innocent world, and make an example of their hated foes.

The Agents managed to defeat the assassins - even capturing Sharre Ajax - and kill the Rising Flame commanders on-planet, while convincing Hermione of the veracity of the claims that her brother had been replaced; but they still struggled to convince her to let go of her bounty - until a new player joined the board.

Local legends referred to them as the Black Sentinels; they gave no name, and communicated only via radio transmissions, but their vessels were unmistakably that of ancient [[Astartes]]. In their messages, they claimed Finisterra was under their protection, and they told the Imperial forces in no uncertain terms that they were to retreat from the system or face the consequences.

Demoralised and battered, Imperial forces and the Lady-Captain’s fleet withdrew, and no Imperial ship that dared to travel to that system since has ever returned…

===== Meanwhile… =====
The shadows grew longer…

With the heartbeat came the whispers…

… to the desperate, to the scared, to the lonely…

They preyed upon fears, taking the smallest seed and growing it into a raging inferno. A whole Pilgrim Vessel was turned into a charnel house as the faithful's nightmares were turned upon them in the dark void.

''Black ash…''

On the world of [[Butonia]], where Witch Finders had fanned the fires of a rebellion of the ‘righteous’, it found fertile ground to spread and influence a new face of the [[Imperial faith]], twisting fanatics so terrified for their lives, that, when they prayed to the God-Emperor in their terror… the Dark listened… and they gave It strength.

''Black handprints…''

These were the first of the [[Ashen Cult]]. Its followers called It many things, but they always called It by the truth: It was the first thing humanity learned to fear while sitting around the flickering firelight in those primitive and long-gone days. It was the dark that no light could escape from. It was the First Fear, the Black, the Endless and Starless Night. It was the End, the Final Breath.

''It was Death.''

''It was the Darkness, and It had awakened.''

If not for the actions of Agents of the Throne at both Butonia and the ship, the poison would have spread much faster. By cauterising the wounds, they denied It purchase on the Sector; it was not enough to turn back the dark tide, but it would buy them time…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 3 - In the Shadow of the Spire ====

On the wretched, dying hive-world of [[Korimesta]], an old and ancient rotting spire hid a forbidden secret, using an entire city as camouflage - for, beneath its surface, lay a massive [[xenos]] construct - a gigantic Pillar made of the fabled material Blackstone (known as Noctilith in High Gothic).

An Inquisitor of the [[Ordo Xenos]], Duplesis, shared with the rest of the Conclave a prophecy that spoke of an xenos artifact hidden beneath the city and how it was tied to the fate of the sector. Several Inquisitors sent their assets to learn more about the pillar, but Korimesta held other interests - and many agents of many masters were in play, as the Spire prepared to celebrate the Ecclesiarchical festival of [[Khan-Hattilik]].

The mysterious woman, who had led the Agents stranded on Everholt to safety though a Aeldari gate, surfaced again - wearing the garments of a [[Sororitas]] - and told the Agents a secret: that the Pillar was not a single artefact. Rather, that it was a node in a network made of several (now three) of such devices - all part of something far greater - and she was its guardian. She eventually admitted that, were this network to completely fail, the tides of the Warp would surge and engulf the sector.

Then, death came, and it wore the face of Grandfather Nurgle - the remnant-cult of the Withered Angel erupted in uprising seeking to bring pain and death in the name of their daemonic patron, summoning forth a Herald and its ever-hungry servants. But the Agents of the Throne stood in its way, and through the spiritual blessing of the Emperor’s Saints, the daemonic presence was cleansed.

A warning came from the most unexpected of sources - a possessed Astropath disgorged an image of the Warmaster, who claimed he was just as interested as they were in keeping the Pillars active. The shapeshifter told them that the Archenemy had recently become aware of the location of that Pillar, and one of their battleships was en route to Korimesta to obliterate the planet - and the Pillar with it. After all, were the Eye of Terror to expand, the Archenemy’s work would be made much easier. They needed to destroy the ship before it could destroy the planet. They could heed its warnings or not, but it would be on their heads if they didn’t.

Sensing it was about to be thwarted, the Blood-God sent its servants to attack, which forced the Agents of the Throne to split their forces: some would protect the spire, and some took their battle to the Archenemy’s battleship, the ''Spear of the Forefather'', sabotaging its warp engines and scuttling it before it could reach Korimesta. But their victory would not be without a heavy cost, for while ten went in, only nine came out - and Battlesister Alicia Rose, one of the Emperor’s Daughters, was the one who fell so that others could live.

That was not the only sacrifice that day. Many died, many were broken beyond repair, and an entire noble bloodline was extinguished. But, perhaps, the greatest sacrifice was how the Agents agreed to return home empty-handed - and face their Inquisitors. It was agreed that no Inquisitor should have the Pillar, for it was too vital - and too dangerous. With the help of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]], the mysterious keeper of the Pillar stabilized the spire, so it would not collapse when she teleported the Pillar using ancient technologies to a new and unknown location.

The Agents had triumphed, Korimesta still stood.

But its death was not long coming…

===== '''Meanwhile…''' =====
A flicker in the defences of the Pillar, while it rebooted, and a compact between a shadowy conspiracy and the forces of the Archenemy known as the [[Children of Tain]], exploited the weakness in the veil to launch a massive assault on the Crusade Headquarters at the heavily defended [[Polarnus Station]]. Infiltrated agents caused the defences to fail or turn on the noble Imperial defenders of the station.

And, in the shadows of this chaos, It grew too, swelling in power and strength. Like a cancer, It spread, more cults growing in the dark, spreading from the bowels of the hive cities to the black bellies of starship holds; In the shadows, It grew, as desperation and fear festered in the sector.

What perhaps was more curious, is that the Warmaster, or the daemon supposedly masquerading as him, took no steps to sow chaos, no steps to bring discord. Instead, she sought to bring hope to the people, sought to combat It -- only fueling the suspicions of the Inquisition that she had a part in all this…

Fires began to spread: small ones at first, but long-dormant fractures between the Great Houses began to re-emerge, ancient hatreds were acted upon once more, and civil war seemed just around the corner.

All it would take was but a spark to ignite it.

The year was 593.M41 and the Prosperitas Sector was beginning to splinter…

 
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==== Event 4 - On Polarnus Station ====

There was no doubt that Polarnus Station had to be retaken from the Archenemy. Without it, the Crusade would falter and likely die. But there were other reasons for the Inquisition to send its Agents to the station: hidden within it, an Inquisitorial Black Site, one of the Inquisition’s storehouses of forbidden and confiscated artefacts. Perhaps, more importantly, it now contained a Phylactery, an arcane storage unit believed to contain some component of the false-Warmaster’s soul, the only conduit the Inquisition had to potentially banish the daemon.

But Polarnus was a trap.

For when the fall of Polarnus had been plotted, it had been done so knowing that the Inquisition would want to evacuate the Black Site. Hidden behind the gullible forces of the Archenemy, the conspirator waited for their moment to come.

After infiltrating the station to get to the vault and acquire the Phylactery, the Agents had to fight against not only the Archenemy, but also the Darkness. It had grown strong enough to manifest in the physical space in Its true form, a spreading black shadow that consumed all It touched with growing madness. It was more than a mental change of state, but a physical, festering parasitic fear that erupted from the dead and wore their corpses as its foul puppets to feed on death and fear. It was turned back, after some Agents braved Its grasp to step within It, and see with their eyes for the first time the vast Black Desert in which It was awakening from Its slumber.

Finally, the Black Site was breached, and the precious cargo acquired - and who would have noticed, among all those terrifying and precious things, were one to go missing?

In the meantime, the Inquisition was betrayed both from within their own number and from without, as Inquisitor Alexandros Voss and Arbiter Drusilla Vox, both now servants of the false-Warmaster, took charge of the operation and attempted to abscond with the Phylactery, aided by other infiltrated servants of the Warmaster.

But the other Inquisitors were not as blind as Voss would believe. Their betrayal failed and the Phylactery was destroyed, some say by a miracle of the Emperor, or even by a manifested Living Saint. Still, both of the traitors escaped before they could be brought to justice.

However, the Agents were now in a unique position of being able to take back the station: coordinating their efforts with those of Vice-Admiral Chandier, who had been stranded in the station, they managed to take back the defenses and exorcise the Demon that had been installed inside the station’s mainframe, turning the table on the invaders.

Polarnus stands, the Agents survived, the traitors were exposed and the Warmaster was wounded.

But the siege of Polarnus had served the purpose of its engineer, and the Agents had played their roles beautifully. A vessel sped away from the station, carrying their true target, ITEM-001 PDBX, the first artefact ever stored within the Inquisitorial Blacksite centuries ago - containing an unimaginable treasure…

… a viable genetic sample of the God-Emperor himself.

===== Meanwhile… =====
When his phylactery was destroyed, the Warmaster was in a meeting with the [[Crusade High Command]] - and the blow forced him to manifest into his true form and kill those with him. It was claimed the Warmaster had been the target of an attempt on his life, that he had barely survived and had claimed the lives of all of his companions. That is why, it was said, the Warmaster became so ill that he retired from public view.

Like jackals after tasting blood, the sudden ‘illness’ of the Warmaster, the Great Houses of the Prosperitas sector made their plays to seize power and grow to new strengths.

In turn, the Rising Flame also rose up in open defiance of the Imperium, with more and more worlds sympathetic to its cause, protecting the local populace even as dangers spilled in from the warp. Their once-captured leader, Sharre Ajax, also apparently escaped his prison on Polarnus during the chaos of the siege.

Though the forces of Chaos had been beaten back, the Imperium could not be saved from itself, as more strife and discord spread…

… and the Darkness continued to swell…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 5 - The Forgotten ====

The Agents were sent to the world of [[Midsummer]], to investigate strange transmissions that were detected by Inquisitorial Auspexes. On the vital agri-world, where nature cults blended with the Imperial cult, something lay: an ancient rift leading to a Realm of Blood and War - the Kingdom of Khorne.

As the Agents found the source of the transmissions, they came upon a lone and wounded sentinel: one of the “Dark Sentinels” of Finisterra, an Astartes of the Second Legion, also known as the Silver Circle.

Long-bound within an ancient axe - known as the Malamawr, and that was guarded by one of the mysterious Astartes that had driven the Imperium from Finisterra - was a Daemon known only as The Red Saint. The Astartes warrior was the keeper of the axe, to ensure that the Red Saint would never be freed.

However, the corrupting influence of blood and slaughter had begun to seep into the world, thanks to agents of the Blood God known as the Red Hand. A blood sickness was spreading slowly, twisting local rites towards the Lord of Skulls, and their sudden attacks had left the Guardian badly wounded - he sent the transmissions for help, for reinforcements of his legion. But who would come knocking if not the Inquisition?

Sensing the rise of the Dark, and the threat that came with a fifth power older than all of the Chaos Gods, Khorne sent forth its servants - not to make war upon the Imperium, but to cleanse the Prosperitas Sector from the influence of the Darkness. Its plan was to have an army of bloody brass daemons march forth from the rift, and remove all life from the Prosperitas Sector. That way, the forgotten waking god would have no fear and no nightmares to prey upon, and no power to reclaim.

The Red Saint was freed from its ancient prison, and found a new vessel. For the Red Hand had brought with them a trophy stolen from the Nurgle battleship ''Spear of the Forefather'': the Sister of Battle who had fallen fighting for the fate of Korimesta - the corpse of Alicia Rose herself. Through bloody necromancy, the Blood God returned the once-pure Soror to life, and rendered her open to serve as the new vessel of its servant.

But the plan of the Blood God ultimately failed. Though the Agents were not able to stop the new Red Saint escaping the surface of Midsummer, they were able to prevent its servants from opening the warp-rift wide, turning the world into a gateway of chaos and immersing it within a new warp-storm.

In doing so, they made valuable allies, in the form of both the mysterious Astartes who came to fight by their side to protect the planet, and the strange xenos known as the Ishari - an offshoot of the Aeldari race that had lived for millennia in the hidden dimensions of the Prosperitas Sector, and who had intimate knowledge of the Darkness - for they were rebels against an oppressive regime controlled by the Whispering God…

===== Meanwhile… =====
As the year closed, so did the hope of peace between the Nobility - with the return of Hermione Durovera to the sector at the head of an armada of powerful warships, accompanied by the ill-omened Astartes of the [[Void Hounds]] Chapter. These brutal warriors enabled her to conquer the Sector's capital-world of Duroverum from the supporters of her ‘brother’, who was still missing.

As Agents battled the tide of the Darkness by bringing hope to the Sector, others sought to bring some peace, turning to the might of the Ecclesiastical Palace on Terra - and summoning the wrath of the Ecclesiarch against the sector’s [[Cardinal Grulge]] who had, for several years now, been gathering a sizable force of [[Fidelis Militia]] in clear defiance of the Decree Passive (which forbids the Ecclesiarchy from raising combat forces other than the Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas).

On [[Persephon]], long-held by an Ork Waagh!!, a Kill-Team launched an assault on the Ork Warboss there. Much to their horror, they discovered that the whole invasion had been long-masterminded by the forces of Chaos, and the Warboss Gazbag was little more than the wizened puppet of a warp-entity. Though the Orks vanished from the surface in a sorcerous conflagration shortly after, the Inquisition has yet to celebrate, because the tainted Ork horde may yet appear again.

Refusing to recognise Hermione Durovera as Sector Governor, the Great Houses of the Imperial Nobility began to splinter, with open civil war only held off by the threat implied by the potent Astartes at Hermione Durovera’s command.

In clear defiance of the Imperium, the planet Korimesta rose up and threw off the Imperial yoke. The monstrous Gloriana-class battleship ''Iron Lady'' was dispatched to make an example of the world.

Worse still, on the turning of the year and Candlemass’ coming, a threat was exposed within the Commissariat - Archenemy sleeper agents were awoken, and a campaign of sabotage erupted across the Imperium.

The year was 594.M41… as treachery and civil war erupted.

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 6 - Immersabilis ====

As the sector crumbled, the Inquisition dispatched Agents to the cruise liner ''St Sanguinius'' in pursuit of a new target - a second phylactery of the false-Warmaster – with which they hoped to locate the wounded daemon and end its threat once and for all. The phylactery was brought to be sold in an illegal auction, with the seller clearly unaware of what it truly contained.

Unfortunately for the Agents, they weren’t the only party interested in the vessel, and the terrorists of the Rising Flame made the first move. Overwhelmed by the ongoing siege of Korimesta, the terrorist group sought to turn the ''St Sanguinius'' into a deadly missile to destroy the ''Iron Lady'' and save Korimesta. Although the Agents put down the hijackers, they had caused enough chaos that the ship, already imperilled, was caught within the edge of the swelling influence of the Darkness - allowing It to consume the ship’s Navigator and turn her into Its thing.

It was in this desperate hour that choices had to be made - and none of them good:

The false-Warmaster revealed herself to the assembled Agents - shedding her disguise as a famous singer aboard the vessel. She pleaded with them to let her help - that she would teach them how to bind the Darkness and escape its realm.

The Chaos Gods manifested their will in the shape of a single unified daemonic herald appearing as four separate entities, the Beast of the Apocalypse. They offered the Agents protection from the Darkness in exchange for the Changeling-Warmaster - who they had tortured for millennia, and allowed to escape for sport, before recapturing her again, in an endless cycle.

The Darkness came too - it had grown in power, spawning mighty ‘Castellans’ as emanations of its will - similar to greater daemons. Speaking though the foremost of these, the Castellan of the North, it informed the Agents that it had no hatred of them, that it was the End, and therefore, like all things, the Agents were Its own, would come to It eventually, and It loved them. And that all It wanted was the Changeling-Warmaster and once they gave her to It, It would free them from Its realm.

Of all the terrible options, a group seemed to choose to go with the devil they knew. But, in the moments before the Warmaster attempted to free the ship from the Warp, others had different ideas, and a dark pact was signed, and an aspect of the Dark God Slaanesh, the Twin Coiling Serpents, stole a mote of power from the Darkness.

Though the vessel pulled free, neither the Darkness nor the false-Warmaster came with it… and both faded back into the Warp - the Changeling seemingly turned to ash, the God wounded.

 
<hr>
 

==== Immediately after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
If the Ordos Prosperitas believed that the ‘death’ of the Changeling - might have bought them respite, they were soon proven wrong…

Auguries upon the state of the imprisoned Ur-Entity known as ‘The Darkness’ or ‘The First Fear’ showed that the actions of Acolytes aboard the St Sanguinius had, in some way, ‘wounded’ it, reducing its ability to extend its influence beyond its prison. But even as nightmares faded from the minds of the innocent, and shadows stopped moving, the augaries detected a new doom approaching: the sign of the Dorghar, the Beast of the Apocalypse, was drawn consistently - for, as Acolytes had wounded the Darkness and the Changeling Daemon Prince aboard the St Sanguinius, someone had let something else in…

The Snake rose in the Warp, and began to weave its sixfold path into the Prosperitas Sector.

 
<hr>
 

==== Days after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Though the Ordos Prosperitas were soon made aware of the ill portents, things that had been set in motion long before the St Sanguinius left port continued without the hidden hand of the Inquisition able to stay them.

On Korimesta, a world that had very nearly driven off the influence of House Vilas-Lobo and seceded from the Imperium with the aid of the trans-Prosperitas resistance of the Rising Flame, the Imperial forces of the Prosperitas Crusade meted out brutal punishments to the rebels. Turned into a work camp by House Globex, who purchased the world from House Vilas-Lobo, Korimesta was made into an example by the Imperium. While this temporarily damaged morale amongst the Rising Flame, it also furthered tensions between those who identified as Imperials and those who identified as part of the Annwfyn and Ruwwad ethnic groups - with widespread hostility only growing in the aftermath of the slaughter of the rebels-

Meanwhile, the tensions in the ever-chaotic politics of the Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector continued to rise: with House Monforte’s Lord missing, presumed dead, and the ailing finances of the house exposed - its debtors and rivals fell upon it, reducing what remained of it to a Beggar House. Its greatest spoils went to the Great Houses of Durovera, Vilas-Lobo and Di Firro, who coordinated the ruin of their once-rival. The greatest of the prizes being the Charters of the House - the contracted essential services of the Imperium. While the two Rogue Trader Houses kept their spoils, House Vilas-Lobo surprised many by granting theirs to the ‘upstart’ nobility of House Ruttyer - a surprising alliance, given that Vilas-Lobo once sneered down their noses at a House with barely a century of history.

With the Inquisition confirming the ‘death’ of Armelius Durovera (while avoiding any tales that could undermine his House), and with no heirs appointed, the Sector Nobility are forced to begrudgingly accept the succession of the Rogue Trader, Hermione Durovera, to the position of Sector Governor. This does not mean peace, though, for while formal civil war has failed to erupt, the ancient War of Blades - hidden beneath an ostensive ‘Cold War’ between the various Houses - continues. Hermione Durovera’s rule is legitimated, but by no means complete: while she can call the major worlds of Subsector Primus largely loyal to her, the other Houses’ influences and territories mean that, ultimately, the situation amongst the Prosperitas Nobility returns to what it has always been - Legitimised Warlords ruling the Imperial Frontier.

 
<hr>
 

==== Weeks after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Again and again, the sign of Dorghar, the Beast of the Apocalypse was drawn by the Augers of the Prosperitas Conclave. The Inquisition searches madly for the source of the coming threat; there are frantic warnings to keep eyes out along the Eye-wards frontier of the Prosperitas Sector, searching for any signs of warp disturbances - as Inquisitorial forces deploy what meagre resources they can pull together to support dilapidated Arbites and local Enforcers for any coming storm. No risk is discounted, and, yet, the Imperium is still woefully unprepared when the threat does come.

In the weeks that follow, the Eye of Terror - the swirling Warp Storm that the Prosperitas Sector so perilously orbits - ‘opens’. Though the nature of perceiving a vortex into hell is difficult to put into words, the surge in warp energies washed through the Sector. The first signs are the nightmares, as human minds, sensitive to the energies of the warp, are overloaded by hellish visions; the poor unfortunates who are more sensitive than most, and lack training to cope, are driven to madness - between psychological trauma and the increased tension from sleepless nights, violence spills out into the streets. With tensions amongst the various sub-groups of the Prosperitas Sector already high, that’s where civility is the first to break. It takes little effort to ignite riots, and with the worlds of the Prosperitas frontier lacking the garrisons of the mighty worlds of the Imperium, control is hard to reassert.

The Cults of the Archenemy arise in the aftermath, urged on by dreams interpreted as messages from ‘caring’ otherworldly masters - or simply exploiting the chaos. The Terrorist-Cult of the Red Hand is the most widespread instigator of the violence - their song of Khorne-the-Liberator in the avatar of their ‘Red Saint’ has gained them a following of the dispossesed and discarded, and, more worryingly, the war-wounded veterans of the Prosperitas Crusade, who have been cast off for no longer being of use to the Imperium’s wars.

But the threat does not just come from within: without the Weeping Eye and Creeping Death, tribal warbands of pirates and eye-barbarians, whose leaders gave worship to the Plaguefather, and have been harassing the Prosperitas Crusade for years, greatly benefit from favourable warp tides. They cross the border of the Sector and launch an attack that brings Kelper Prime, the stalwart fortress world that has resisted the push of the forces of Chaos for centuries, to finally fall to plague and invasion. Worse still, Olethros Secunda, a world previously believed to be completely safe, also falls to Archenemy invaders. It is only due to the sacrifice of Rogue Trader Lady-Captain Khadija Majid, who coordinated the mediocre system defence fleet (losing her life in the process) that any managed to escape the invasion - and bring word of the regimented Archenemy forces not seen since the days of the Regency, the former traitor rulers of the Prosperitas Sector.

Not all portents pointed to doom, however - Lord Inquisitor Hector Aetós of Terra arrives in the sector, and effectively reorganised the still loyal Inquisitors of the Prosperitas Sector into a formal Inquisitorial Conclave under the title “Ordos Prosperitas”.

At the same time, Emmissarius-Palantine Sylas Derrig Soren van Boren de Toombes, Envoy First Class, Servant of the Master of the Adeptus Administratum, Scion of House Boren de Toombes, Bearer of the Voice of the Throne, representative of the High Lords of Terra, also arrives at the sector - nominally, he is here to formally invest Hermione Durovera with the throne of Sector Governor; but he also represents increased pressure on the Sector Governors to fulfil their duty to Terra - and ensuring that one of the major supply routes into Cadia remains open no matter what. The Space Marines of the Void Hounds Chapter, whose alliance with House Durovera ensured she survived long enough to hold onto her Throne, finally departs the sector after the Emmissarius-Palantine hands them edict from the High Lords - requiring them to return to their chapter fleet with petitions to join another warzone. As a sign of whatever pact Hermione Durovera made with their Chapter Master, they leave an Honour Guard of Battle Brothers to act as her bodyguards.

 
<hr>
 

==== Months after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Though the Ordos Prosperitas were able to gather their united resources with some donated from the Terran Conclave by Inquisitor Aetos - as well as opening various forbidden vaults provided by Terra - they continue to grapple with strife within the Imperium. At the same time, at the borders of the Sector, the Crusade musters to respond to the assaults on Kelper Prime and Olethros Secunda. In the process, Mawson’s Wake also falls silent, leaving many to believe it has been conquered by the same forces that took Olethros.

Surprisingly, the enemy does not reveal itself on the battlefield, rather in the courts of the Nobles of Subsector Secundus. There, shrouded diplomats, showing not an inch of bare skin, arrive wearing gilded masks adorned with scales like those of serpents. These heralds seem to have no fear in the face of almost certain execution by their hosts - instead, they deliver a plea from their Masters: they claim to represent the ‘rightful’ governors of the Sector, the members of the Archenemy Regency who survived being overthrown in the early years of the Crusade. These diplomats are eloquent, and surprisingly captivating - as many survive to walk out of the glittering halls after giving their tidings;

We will let you Govern, if you simply renounce your God-Emperor; our goals are the same - our duty, sacred.

The Inquisition begins hunting down these emissaries where it can, but it does not have the resources to outright depose and exterminate those who listened to the poisonous message - not without these nobles showing signs of corruption first - for such is the power and reach of those born to heritages of power and tradition. But it is obvious to everyone in the Ordos Prosperitas that the seeds have been planted. Inquisitors send spies, and move kill teams into position to ensure that the damage can be mitigated when this venomous seeding eventually comes into bloom.

However, not all problems are due to the Ruinous Powers. While the Inquisition wearily waits for the dark message to bear fruit, the dance of assassinations and underhanded sabotage between the High-Born continues. In the meantime, the Inquisition’s concern is directed towards the continued entrenchment of Cardinal Ignatius Grulge. Although his opponents and the Ordos Prosperitas have secured a formal Excommunication for his involvement in the proscribed Temple of the Saviour Emperor, the popular support for the Cardinal remains untouched. Imperial Propaganda takes to calling him ‘The Heresiarch’, mocking him for his intention to be opposed to the Ecclesiarch on Terra. Although he is formally identified within the Temple as an ‘Archimandrite’, Grulge owns the insulting title - using it as an example to his followers of how the Ecclesiarchy ‘establishment’ fears their power. It proves exceedingly difficult to turn public opinion against Grulge: the Ecclesiarch is a distant figure on a world near-mythological to citizens who will never see it, while Grulge is right here in the sector, doing what he can for the common man.

The Gearwright Sect - an unsanctioned group of believers who believe in the Sainthood of an Olethran Citizen (and, problematically, an Astropath), Cal Gearwright - have become a strong opposition to the temple, with more moderate ‘traditional’ elements of the Ecclesiarchy increasingly out of touch, and marginalised in the battle for the souls of the God-Emperor’s faithful. By comparison, more established - and with more armed and more militant followers - Grulge and the Temple’s reaction to the upstarts is predictable: Gearwright gatherings are frequent targets of horrendous interfaith violence. As they are unrecognised by the Ecclesiarch, which classifies them as heretics themselves, the Imperial law largely prevents formal intervention to protect the Gearwrights. This causes Arbites and Sororitas interventions to inevitably lead to three-way battles, as both Imperial forces seek to punish all present.

To make matters more concerning, an Imperial Assassin fails to execute Grulge in the waning months of the year - as the Heresiarch seemingly manifests some form of miracle to protect himself from the blade of his killers, and emerging unscarred. Unsurprisingly, this only strengthens the widespread belief in his legitimacy. His power in the Sector continues to grow, and many amongst the Nobility and Commanders of the Prosperitas Crusade hesitate to directly bring the fight to him: their priority is to ensure that the Sector does not fall to the Archenemy first and foremost; committing their already strained resources to an ecumenical squabble does not seem tactically sound.

 
<hr>
 

==== One Year after the St. Sanguinius Incident… ====
Exactly six months after their masked Diplomats visited the Houses of Subsector Secundus, multiple fleets in old Imperial Army configurations - and bearing the heretical insignia of the Eye of Horus - arrive to the Prosperitas Sector. These represent the exiled remnants of the [[Regency]]. While the enemy forces in the early years of the Prosperitas Crusade were mostly conscripted forces led by those loyal to the Archenemy - the members of the Regency descend from those loyalists - fanatics that were loyal enough to follow their surviving masters into years of exile in the deep void, doing Emperor-knows-what to survive. They are a far cry from the rabble of rebels, pirates and barbarians that the Prosperitas Crusade faced many years ago.

The Regency strikes first at Lerwick and Hellaerus III, where it is met with swiftly organised resistance; but, with the Crusade disunited and in disarray, and lacking a Warmaster for well over a year, it is only the most unexpected of assistance that allows them to weather either assault. At Lerwick, it is believed that Rising Flame infiltrators within the orbital defence grid retask it to intercept the Regency fleet before it translates from the Warp - a manoeuvre that saves the day. That particular bit of information is suppressed by the Inquisition, who, despite their best efforts, find no living Rising Flame infiltrators to interrogate - as all souls aboard the control platform are found dead, with some executed by mass-reactive rounds.

At Hellaerus III, rescue comes from dark-armoured Astartes who only identify themselves as the “Lions of Nemea''. Though equipped with weaponry considered outdated by Imperial standards, these marines strike swiftly in support of the Imperial Navy, and manage to destroy several vessels - before fading from the battlefront as quickly as they emerged. They remain distant from Imperial forces in the months that follow, appearing where they are needed, but committing little and communicating even less. Inquisitor Jean Luc Valtrois of the Ordo Astartes and Ordo Prosperitas provides a closed-doors briefing to several major leaders, and silences any suspicions about the Chapter’s arrival.

But the Regency is not without its victories: the lack of Crusade coordination - combined with the infighting between Mechanicus factions on the surface of Henlock - allows the Archenemy forces and their allied Hereteks to retain control of the Titan graveyard. Blame is largely placed upon the forces of Naximus Prime - whether because of long standing prejudices towards Naximus from the other Forges, or because Naximus has spent much of the war focusing its forces on stripping technology from the Graveyard instead of securing their positions. This has seriously strained relations between the Naximus and the sole Knight World of the Sector, Anaximund Alpha - whose loyalties are held by ancient pacts to the Forge World, but who increasingly feel their honour is tested by the dishonourable cold and calculated actions of their Masters.

 
<hr>
 

==== Months Before the Silence… ====
In the few months before the Silence, no one, not even the Prosperitas Conclave, had any idea what was coming: perhaps some mysterious alien Seers, always calculating and everwatching, saw what was looming over the Mon’keighs. If they did, they remained silent, and watched only - as they had for centuries before, as they would for centuries after.

It became apparent to all that without an appointed Warmaster, the Prosperitas Crusade was rudderless, and lacked the ability to effectively coordinate. Sarina Khan, Admiral of the Battlefleet Prosperitas was, by merit, the best choice - and, in better times, this would definitely not have been sufficient. Khan is Ruwwad by ethnicity, a native of the Prosperitas Sector, which was the blackest of marks, despite a spotless career record and a list of victories under her belt. Furthermore, the tensions surrounding native Prosperitans and “True” Imperials sparked by the conflict on Korimesta would normally mean that she was politically unappealing to both the Nobles of the Prosperitas Sector, and many in the Crusade. But with tragedy hitting on all fronts, Khan’s enemies were fragmented, and, with the Noble Houses at each other's throats, what influence they might have been able to use to push their ‘preferred’ candidates was too splintered: no House would be seen backing someone that others were backing as well, and the ‘traditionalist’ military faction within the Crusade (which had often relied upon the support of the Houses, with many of them being Nobles themselves) was fragmented. By comparison, the reformist elements of the Crusade, though lacking the power and swing of Noble Houses to support their own candidates, were, by comparison, united behind Khan. In the end, it was Hermione Durovera’s greed that ultimately secured Khan’s succession: the Sector Governor effectively discounted herself from making the appointment of Warmaster by choosing herself. However, lacking the sway her brother had used when he made a similar move, it fell to the Terran delegation and Emmissarius-Palantine Sylas Derrig Soren van Boren de Toombes to make the decision. Seeming to have a talent to spot the sane voices in his delegation, as well as those in the Ordos Prosperitas, de Toombes determined Khan’s ascension.

Warmaster Khan I of the Prosperitas Crusade immediately set to work, by reorganising the campaign against the Archenemy, while also redistributing forces to ensure that the Imperial line held strong. Her position was by no means secure, but she showed admirable ability to flatter and compromise with her opponents to ensure they were both making themselves useful, and were conveniently positioned where they could interfere less in her affairs.

While the Crusade Forces reorganised to face a new threat, the Inquisition dispatched a Strike Force into the Wake - a blighted region of space, and a haven to pirates and other heretics. They sought a missing artefact - a large coffin of unusual origin. The Inquisition forces ultimately manage to throw a wrench into the plans of the Changer of Ways, who was attempting to manipulate the skein of fate to bring forth one of its Champions to unleash upon the Sector. Much to its consternation, the Acolytes manage to rescue an individual thought lost to the tides of history, and kept captive by the Changer - Warmaster Dragos Ulian and his Emperor-class Battleship, the Lion of Terra.

Cleared by the Inquisition of taint and madness, Dragos Ulian is returned to the Crusade, where many traditionalists argue that Khan must stand down and make way for him. But Ulian was very much similar to Khan in his day, and refuses to become the pawn in the politics of the Crusade. So, he steps aside willingly, retiring, instead, to the role of ‘Warmaster-Emmiratus’ - acting as an advisor to the Warmaster but abdicating from any direct control over the Crusade. The return of the Lion of Terra and her Master is totemic, and boosts the Crusade morale, which rallies even in the face of the brutal fighting against the Regency, and the harassment of pirates and eye-barbarians.

And then, Silence…

 
<hr>
 

==== The Silence ====

The first signs came when the astropathic Choirs became tranquil, and their songs became whispers, then faded altogether. The courier ships that carried messages from out-sector, soon were carrying them within…

Not long after, Navigators became blind, and could not find their way in the pathways of the stars…

Soon, all warp engines, even those of the mighty warships of Battlefleet Prosperitas sputtered, then went to sleep…

And, in a Sector wracked by war and conflict, there was just… Silence.

At first, the Inquisition dispatched its servants across the Sector, trying to find any clues to explain what was happening: there were concerns about a possible contamination of the Choirs by some unknown means - but, soon, the phenomena intensified and went past the quieted voices. Little by little, a veil was drawn around the sector, as the Navigators were next, grounding countless vessels, and forcing a few others to ‘warp skips’.

When, suddenly, the veil between warp and reality hardened entirely. Not even the warp drives of battleships could breach it, and go to warp.

The Sector was still, and its worlds completely cut off from each other.

In active warzones, the fighting continued, with the phenomena striking the enemies of the Imperium equality harshly, with neither side having hopes of reinforcements. A myriad of planetary wars continued, but the sector-wide theatre was painfully slow. Without astropaths, communications had to happen through more ancient, slower forms of transmission - taking weeks, months even, depending on the quality of broadcast. But, for every beleaguered Imperial force, there were Archenemy advances that stuttered to a halt, as daemon-touched war-engines suddenly went quiet, with the neverborn within ceasing to exist.

Those left stranded in realspace were the lucky ones - because those travelling in the warp when the Silence fully fell found themselves trapped in a sterile and timeless otherealm, detached from time and space, completely oblivious of what was going on around them.

And although all was quiet, there were still predators…

 
<hr>
 

==== A Time of Stillness ====
For one long year (Terran Standard), the Prosperitas Sector was affected by the Silence, with communication between worlds reduced to primitive methods for all but those with access to the most potent techno arcana. This isolated the sector, but also slowed the forces of the Archenemy who faced similar - if not worse - disruption. Though Psykers remained able to call upon the energies of the warp, the barrier was so thickened that it weakened their power too, while preventing anything from the other side from passing through.

The Silence was exploited by those in power - especially Hermione Durovera - to ignite passionate Imperialist sentiments in the population, and encouraged a banding of all those who considered themselves loyal to the Imperium. This isolated those who stood apart, especially the Annwfyn and Ruwwad social groups, which, in turn, led to increasing tensions. Even when the warp suddenly came back in Mid-596.M41, the popular rallying cry of “Imperium Prosperitas” remained in use.

 
<hr>
 

==== The Tide Comes In ====
It would have been poetic if the Silence had ended with some fanfare, tragedy or Chaos…but in truth, it was nothing as dramatic.

At first, nobody was aware the Silence had ended - until the first Astropathic messages reached the unprepared and idle Astropaths. It was a slow, sleepy awakening for those who had spent nearly a year with little news from the great outside, and little to fear but the threats inside.

The Ordos Prosperitas sought answers, but, to this day, are still no closer to working out its cause. The commonly held belief lays blame on a Warp Surge, suggesting that perhaps the strange realm that houses the Darkness, and is informally known as “the Prison”, had reacted to the tidal energies of the Eye, and projected a Sector-wide anti-Warp field, to protect itself from intrusion. Such a reaction would imply some degree of guiding sentience behind the workings of the Prison, making the Ordos have resolutely decided it would be better if the Adeptus Mechanicus not bound to the Inquisition were not informed of this particular theory for a myriad of reasons.

Campaign 1 - Part 1

2023-03-02T15:04:20Z

Hal:

''See Also''
* [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]]

===== '''Near the dawn of time…''' =====

Once, we hid from the darkness, from the shadow, and we prayed for the break of Dawn and the coming of the Light upon the pinnacles of the great pyramids we worshipped.

Until we broke the Sky, until we chained the Night.

And the Dark slept in Its prison, and waited.

===== '''Eight years ago…''' =====

Our story begins in 586.M41, with a gathering.

On the planet [[Everholt]], a world turned over to the pleasure of the Great [[Noble Houses]] of the Prosperitas Sector, and its population reduced to being gamekeepers to uncaring Imperial nobles, a triumvirate of the three great Inquisitors of the Prosperitas Sector gathered. They summoned the spoiled, arrogant and disliked Sector Governor [[Armelius Durovera]] to them, as they believed that a changeling daemon of the [[Archenemy]] was amongst the Governor's staff. They sought to warn him, but, alas, they were wrong…

The shapeshifter was, in fact, among the Inquisitorial retinues - she had always been, patiently waiting for her chance at freedom. She had worn many names, many faces; long ago, she had been mortal but, now that part of her was lost to the eons and to apotheosis. Everholt turned to chaos, as the changeling daemon turned the assets of each Inquisitor against each other, and, in the confusion, murdered them all, as well as Armelius Durovera, whose shape she took.

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 1: That Which Has No Name ====

In the wake of the chaos that ensued came several Agents of the Throne - servants of multiple lesser Inquisitors - to investigate the deaths of the great Inquisitors. They realised too late that the Sector Governor had been replaced, as the daemon bid them farewell and stepped upon a shuttle, believing them stranded on the planet.

The Agents attempted to escape the world, some accepting a ride with a strange breed of [[Orks]] claiming to be loyal to the Imperium, and others escaping through an ancient gate into the Aeldari webway, guided by a mysterious woman, who claimed to be an Agent of the Emperor.

Both parties carried a warning to their Masters.

Both warnings came too late.

… five years too late.

The twisting vagaries of the Warp conspired against them, and both groups arrived home five years after they left Everholt.

===== Meanwhile… =====
When the Agents ran to the Aeldari gate, they took with them several objects recovered from the personal effects of the Inquisitorial triumvirate. Amongst those was a statuette of some ancient being, rendered with a monstrous likeness. And the statuette was kept in the bag of an Agent.

But as they fled, they were set upon by woodland beasts. The Agent carrying the statue fell upon it, shattering seals not broken since the Old Ones walked the universe. Through the cracks on those seals slithered out a blackness, a black so dark that it threatened to snuff out any light it touched, the sliver of an entity so poisonous it had forced alliances between the most ancient of foes to bind it…

Across the shadows of the Sector, it slithered and, eventually, found its way to the whole.

A heartbeat in the dark, long-stilled in eternal slumber, pulsed once more.

===== Three years ago… =====
By 592.M41, the shape-shifting daemon had worn the face of Armelius Durovera for five years, and for five years they had re-written the universally disliked Governor. He had changed, and, so, he was loved - no, surrounded by a cult of personality - and had seized control of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]] – he was no longer the Sector Governor, he was the Warmaster of the [[Crusade]].

The warnings brought to the Inquisition about Armelius Durovera were not unheeded or ignored, but since they had arrived so late after he had set himself in power so firmly, acting on them was impossible without evidence of the accusations. Having lost its three most influential members, the [[Prosperitas Conclave]] was weak and divided and lacking the strength to just remove an individual as powerful as the Warmaster who had the ear of both the military leaders and the [[Ecclesiarchy]].

So, the Inquisition sought, instead, another avenue to unseat the false-Governor, dispatching a team of Agents beyond the Imperium’s edge to find she who could defy him…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 2: Marches’ End ====

On the distant world of [[Finisterra]], un-graced by the light of the God-Emperor, an expeditionary fleet struggled to pacify the unruly population. It was led by the Rogue Trader, Lady-Captain [[Hermione Durovera]], Armelius’ elder sister, who had forgone her claim to the Governorship, in order to pursue the life of a Rogue Trader beyond the Imperial border - and now wanted the distant world for their own. Countless treasures lay hidden in the planet, and the Lady-Captain was unwilling to risk damaging them by turning the full force of her fleet on it.

Hermione was a clever, dangerous woman, and if she could be brought on board, she could contest her brother’s political hold on the sector - and drastically reduce the Warmaster’s strength and allies.

But the demon soon realized this too, and sent assassins to take her head. The Agents sent by the Inquisition to protect her and sway her to their side had not only to keep her safe from the Eight, but also had to go head to head with agents of the sector-wide rebel alliance, the [[Rising Flame]], who, led by Sharre Ajax, plotted to deny the Imperium the innocent world, and make an example of their hated foes.

The Agents managed to defeat the assassins - even capturing Sharre Ajax - and kill the Rising Flame commanders on-planet, while convincing Hermione of the veracity of the claims that her brother had been replaced; but they still struggled to convince her to let go of her bounty - until a new player joined the board.

Local legends referred to them as the Black Sentinels; they gave no name, and communicated only via radio transmissions, but their vessels were unmistakably that of ancient [[Astartes]]. In their messages, they claimed Finisterra was under their protection, and they told the Imperial forces in no uncertain terms that they were to retreat from the system or face the consequences.

Demoralised and battered, Imperial forces and the Lady-Captain’s fleet withdrew, and no Imperial ship that dared to travel to that system since has ever returned…

===== Meanwhile… =====
The shadows grew longer…

With the heartbeat came the whispers…

… to the desperate, to the scared, to the lonely…

They preyed upon fears, taking the smallest seed and growing it into a raging inferno. A whole Pilgrim Vessel was turned into a charnel house as the faithful's nightmares were turned upon them in the dark void.

''Black ash…''

On the world of [[Butonia]], where Witch Finders had fanned the fires of a rebellion of the ‘righteous’, it found fertile ground to spread and influence a new face of the [[Imperial faith]], twisting fanatics so terrified for their lives, that, when they prayed to the God-Emperor in their terror… the Dark listened… and they gave It strength.

''Black handprints…''

These were the first of the [[Ashen Cult]]. Its followers called It many things, but they always called It by the truth: It was the first thing humanity learned to fear while sitting around the flickering firelight in those primitive and long-gone days. It was the dark that no light could escape from. It was the First Fear, the Black, the Endless and Starless Night. It was the End, the Final Breath.

''It was Death.''

''It was the Darkness, and It had awakened.''

If not for the actions of Agents of the Throne at both Butonia and the ship, the poison would have spread much faster. By cauterising the wounds, they denied It purchase on the Sector; it was not enough to turn back the dark tide, but it would buy them time…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 3 - In the Shadow of the Spire ====

On the wretched, dying hive-world of [[Korimesta]], an old and ancient rotting spire hid a forbidden secret, using an entire city as camouflage - for, beneath its surface, lay a massive [[xenos]] construct - a gigantic Pillar made of the fabled material Blackstone (known as Noctilith in High Gothic).

An Inquisitor of the [[Ordo Xenos]], Duplesis, shared with the rest of the Conclave a prophecy that spoke of an xenos artifact hidden beneath the city and how it was tied to the fate of the sector. Several Inquisitors sent their assets to learn more about the pillar, but Korimesta held other interests - and many agents of many masters were in play, as the Spire prepared to celebrate the Ecclesiarchical festival of [[Khan-Hattilik]].

The mysterious woman, who had led the Agents stranded on Everholt to safety though a Aeldari gate, surfaced again - wearing the garments of a [[Sororitas]] - and told the Agents a secret: that the Pillar was not a single artefact. Rather, that it was a node in a network made of several (now three) of such devices - all part of something far greater - and she was its guardian. She eventually admitted that, were this network to completely fail, the tides of the Warp would surge and engulf the sector.

Then, death came, and it wore the face of Grandfather Nurgle - the remnant-cult of the Withered Angel erupted in uprising seeking to bring pain and death in the name of their daemonic patron, summoning forth a Herald and its ever-hungry servants. But the Agents of the Throne stood in its way, and through the spiritual blessing of the Emperor’s Saints, the daemonic presence was cleansed.

A warning came from the most unexpected of sources - a possessed Astropath disgorged an image of the Warmaster, who claimed he was just as interested as they were in keeping the Pillars active. The shapeshifter told them that the Archenemy had recently become aware of the location of that Pillar, and one of their battleships was en route to Korimesta to obliterate the planet - and the Pillar with it. After all, were the Eye of Terror to expand, the Archenemy’s work would be made much easier. They needed to destroy the ship before it could destroy the planet. They could heed its warnings or not, but it would be on their heads if they didn’t.

Sensing it was about to be thwarted, the Blood-God sent its servants to attack, which forced the Agents of the Throne to split their forces: some would protect the spire, and some took their battle to the Archenemy’s battleship, the ''Spear of the Forefather'', sabotaging its warp engines and scuttling it before it could reach Korimesta. But their victory would not be without a heavy cost, for while ten went in, only nine came out - and Battlesister Alicia Rose, one of the Emperor’s Daughters, was the one who fell so that others could live.

That was not the only sacrifice that day. Many died, many were broken beyond repair, and an entire noble bloodline was extinguished. But, perhaps, the greatest sacrifice was how the Agents agreed to return home empty-handed - and face their Inquisitors. It was agreed that no Inquisitor should have the Pillar, for it was too vital - and too dangerous. With the help of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]], the mysterious keeper of the Pillar stabilized the spire, so it would not collapse when she teleported the Pillar using ancient technologies to a new and unknown location.

The Agents had triumphed, Korimesta still stood.

But its death was not long coming…

===== '''Meanwhile…''' =====
A flicker in the defences of the Pillar, while it rebooted, and a compact between a shadowy conspiracy and the forces of the Archenemy known as the [[Children of Tain]], exploited the weakness in the veil to launch a massive assault on the Crusade Headquarters at the heavily defended [[Polarnus Station]]. Infiltrated agents caused the defences to fail or turn on the noble Imperial defenders of the station.

And, in the shadows of this chaos, It grew too, swelling in power and strength. Like a cancer, It spread, more cults growing in the dark, spreading from the bowels of the hive cities to the black bellies of starship holds; In the shadows, It grew, as desperation and fear festered in the sector.

What perhaps was more curious, is that the Warmaster, or the daemon supposedly masquerading as him, took no steps to sow chaos, no steps to bring discord. Instead, she sought to bring hope to the people, sought to combat It -- only fueling the suspicions of the Inquisition that she had a part in all this…

Fires began to spread: small ones at first, but long-dormant fractures between the Great Houses began to re-emerge, ancient hatreds were acted upon once more, and civil war seemed just around the corner.

All it would take was but a spark to ignite it.

The year was 593.M41 and the Prosperitas Sector was beginning to splinter…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 4 - On Polarnus Station ====

There was no doubt that Polarnus Station had to be retaken from the Archenemy. Without it, the Crusade would falter and likely die. But there were other reasons for the Inquisition to send its Agents to the station: hidden within it, an Inquisitorial Black Site, one of the Inquisition’s storehouses of forbidden and confiscated artefacts. Perhaps, more importantly, it now contained a Phylactery, an arcane storage unit believed to contain some component of the false-Warmaster’s soul, the only conduit the Inquisition had to potentially banish the daemon.

But Polarnus was a trap.

For when the fall of Polarnus had been plotted, it had been done so knowing that the Inquisition would want to evacuate the Black Site. Hidden behind the gullible forces of the Archenemy, the conspirator waited for their moment to come.

After infiltrating the station to get to the vault and acquire the Phylactery, the Agents had to fight against not only the Archenemy, but also the Darkness. It had grown strong enough to manifest in the physical space in Its true form, a spreading black shadow that consumed all It touched with growing madness. It was more than a mental change of state, but a physical, festering parasitic fear that erupted from the dead and wore their corpses as its foul puppets to feed on death and fear. It was turned back, after some Agents braved Its grasp to step within It, and see with their eyes for the first time the vast Black Desert in which It was awakening from Its slumber.

Finally, the Black Site was breached, and the precious cargo acquired - and who would have noticed, among all those terrifying and precious things, were one to go missing?

In the meantime, the Inquisition was betrayed both from within their own number and from without, as Inquisitor Alexandros Voss and Arbiter Drusilla Vox, both now servants of the false-Warmaster, took charge of the operation and attempted to abscond with the Phylactery, aided by other infiltrated servants of the Warmaster.

But the other Inquisitors were not as blind as Voss would believe. Their betrayal failed and the Phylactery was destroyed, some say by a miracle of the Emperor, or even by a manifested Living Saint. Still, both of the traitors escaped before they could be brought to justice.

However, the Agents were now in a unique position of being able to take back the station: coordinating their efforts with those of Vice-Admiral Chandier, who had been stranded in the station, they managed to take back the defenses and exorcise the Demon that had been installed inside the station’s mainframe, turning the table on the invaders.

Polarnus stands, the Agents survived, the traitors were exposed and the Warmaster was wounded.

But the siege of Polarnus had served the purpose of its engineer, and the Agents had played their roles beautifully. A vessel sped away from the station, carrying their true target, ITEM-001 PDBX, the first artefact ever stored within the Inquisitorial Blacksite centuries ago - containing an unimaginable treasure…

… a viable genetic sample of the God-Emperor himself.

===== Meanwhile… =====
When his phylactery was destroyed, the Warmaster was in a meeting with the [[Crusade High Command]] - and the blow forced him to manifest into his true form and kill those with him. It was claimed the Warmaster had been the target of an attempt on his life, that he had barely survived and had claimed the lives of all of his companions. That is why, it was said, the Warmaster became so ill that he retired from public view.

Like jackals after tasting blood, the sudden ‘illness’ of the Warmaster, the Great Houses of the Prosperitas sector made their plays to seize power and grow to new strengths.

In turn, the Rising Flame also rose up in open defiance of the Imperium, with more and more worlds sympathetic to its cause, protecting the local populace even as dangers spilled in from the warp. Their once-captured leader, Sharre Ajax, also apparently escaped his prison on Polarnus during the chaos of the siege.

Though the forces of Chaos had been beaten back, the Imperium could not be saved from itself, as more strife and discord spread…

… and the Darkness continued to swell…

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 5 - The Forgotten ====

The Agents were sent to the world of [[Midsummer]], to investigate strange transmissions that were detected by Inquisitorial Auspexes. On the vital agri-world, where nature cults blended with the Imperial cult, something lay: an ancient rift leading to a Realm of Blood and War - the Kingdom of Khorne.

As the Agents found the source of the transmissions, they came upon a lone and wounded sentinel: one of the “Dark Sentinels” of Finisterra, an Astartes of the Second Legion, also known as the Silver Circle.

Long-bound within an ancient axe - known as the Malamawr, and that was guarded by one of the mysterious Astartes that had driven the Imperium from Finisterra - was a Daemon known only as The Red Saint. The Astartes warrior was the keeper of the axe, to ensure that the Red Saint would never be freed.

However, the corrupting influence of blood and slaughter had begun to seep into the world, thanks to agents of the Blood God known as the Red Hand. A blood sickness was spreading slowly, twisting local rites towards the Lord of Skulls, and their sudden attacks had left the Guardian badly wounded - he sent the transmissions for help, for reinforcements of his legion. But who would come knocking if not the Inquisition?

Sensing the rise of the Dark, and the threat that came with a fifth power older than all of the Chaos Gods, Khorne sent forth its servants - not to make war upon the Imperium, but to cleanse the Prosperitas Sector from the influence of the Darkness. Its plan was to have an army of bloody brass daemons march forth from the rift, and remove all life from the Prosperitas Sector. That way, the forgotten waking god would have no fear and no nightmares to prey upon, and no power to reclaim.

The Red Saint was freed from its ancient prison, and found a new vessel. For the Red Hand had brought with them a trophy stolen from the Nurgle battleship ''Spear of the Forefather'': the Sister of Battle who had fallen fighting for the fate of Korimesta - the corpse of Alicia Rose herself. Through bloody necromancy, the Blood God returned the once-pure Soror to life, and rendered her open to serve as the new vessel of its servant.

But the plan of the Blood God ultimately failed. Though the Agents were not able to stop the new Red Saint escaping the surface of Midsummer, they were able to prevent its servants from opening the warp-rift wide, turning the world into a gateway of chaos and immersing it within a new warp-storm.

In doing so, they made valuable allies, in the form of both the mysterious Astartes who came to fight by their side to protect the planet, and the strange xenos known as the Ishari - an offshoot of the Aeldari race that had lived for millennia in the hidden dimensions of the Prosperitas Sector, and who had intimate knowledge of the Darkness - for they were rebels against an oppressive regime controlled by the Whispering God…

===== Meanwhile… =====
As the year closed, so did the hope of peace between the Nobility - with the return of Hermione Durovera to the sector at the head of an armada of powerful warships, accompanied by the ill-omened Astartes of the [[Void Hounds]] Chapter. These brutal warriors enabled her to conquer the Sector's capital-world of Duroverum from the supporters of her ‘brother’, who was still missing.

As Agents battled the tide of the Darkness by bringing hope to the Sector, others sought to bring some peace, turning to the might of the Ecclesiastical Palace on Terra - and summoning the wrath of the Ecclesiarch against the sector’s [[Cardinal Grulge]] who had, for several years now, been gathering a sizable force of [[Fidelis Militia]] in clear defiance of the Decree Passive (which forbids the Ecclesiarchy from raising combat forces other than the Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas).

On [[Persephon]], long-held by an Ork Waagh!!, a Kill-Team launched an assault on the Ork Warboss there. Much to their horror, they discovered that the whole invasion had been long-masterminded by the forces of Chaos, and the Warboss Gazbag was little more than the wizened puppet of a warp-entity. Though the Orks vanished from the surface in a sorcerous conflagration shortly after, the Inquisition has yet to celebrate, because the tainted Ork horde may yet appear again.

Refusing to recognise Hermione Durovera as Sector Governor, the Great Houses of the Imperial Nobility began to splinter, with open civil war only held off by the threat implied by the potent Astartes at Hermione Durovera’s command.

In clear defiance of the Imperium, the planet Korimesta rose up and threw off the Imperial yoke. The monstrous Gloriana-class battleship ''Iron Lady'' was dispatched to make an example of the world.

Worse still, on the turning of the year and Candlemass’ coming, a threat was exposed within the Commissariat - Archenemy sleeper agents were awoken, and a campaign of sabotage erupted across the Imperium.

The year was 594.M41… as treachery and civil war erupted.

 
<hr>
 

==== Event 6 - Immersabilis ====

As the sector crumbled, the Inquisition dispatched Agents to the cruise liner ''St Sanguinius'' in pursuit of a new target - a second phylactery of the false-Warmaster – with which they hoped to locate the wounded daemon and end its threat once and for all. The phylactery was brought to be sold in an illegal auction, with the seller clearly unaware of what it truly contained.

Unfortunately for the Agents, they weren’t the only party interested in the vessel, and the terrorists of the Rising Flame made the first move. Overwhelmed by the ongoing siege of Korimesta, the terrorist group sought to turn the ''St Sanguinius'' into a deadly missile to destroy the ''Iron Lady'' and save Korimesta. Although the Agents put down the hijackers, they had caused enough chaos that the ship, already imperilled, was caught within the edge of the swelling influence of the Darkness - allowing It to consume the ship’s Navigator and turn her into Its thing.

It was in this desperate hour that choices had to be made - and none of them good:

The false-Warmaster revealed herself to the assembled Agents - shedding her disguise as a famous singer aboard the vessel. She pleaded with them to let her help - that she would teach them how to bind the Darkness and escape its realm.

The Chaos Gods manifested their will in the shape of a single unified daemonic herald appearing as four separate entities, the Beast of the Apocalypse. They offered the Agents protection from the Darkness in exchange for the Changeling-Warmaster - who they had tortured for millennia, and allowed to escape for sport, before recapturing her again, in an endless cycle.

The Darkness came too - it had grown in power, spawning mighty ‘Castellans’ as emanations of its will - similar to greater daemons. Speaking though the foremost of these, the Castellan of the North, it informed the Agents that it had no hatred of them, that it was the End, and therefore, like all things, the Agents were Its own, would come to It eventually, and It loved them. And that all It wanted was the Changeling-Warmaster and once they gave her to It, It would free them from Its realm.

Of all the terrible options, a group seemed to choose to go with the devil they knew. But, in the moments before the Warmaster attempted to free the ship from the Warp, others had different ideas, and a dark pact was signed, and an aspect of the Dark God Slaanesh, the Twin Coiling Serpents, stole a mote of power from the Darkness.

Though the vessel pulled free, neither the Darkness nor the false-Warmaster came with it… and both faded back into the Warp - the Changeling seemingly turned to ash, the God wounded.

 
<hr>
 

==== Immediately after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
If the Ordos Prosperitas believed that the ‘death’ of the Changeling - might have bought them respite, they were soon proven wrong…

Auguries upon the state of the imprisoned Ur-Entity known as ‘The Darkness’ or ‘The First Fear’ showed that the actions of Acolytes aboard the St Sanguinius had, in some way, ‘wounded’ it, reducing its ability to extend its influence beyond its prison. But even as nightmares faded from the minds of the innocent, and shadows stopped moving, the augaries detected a new doom approaching: the sign of the Dorghar, the Beast of the Apocalypse, was drawn consistently - for, as Acolytes had wounded the Darkness and the Changeling Daemon Prince aboard the St Sanguinius, someone had let something else in…

The Snake rose in the Warp, and began to weave its sixfold path into the Prosperitas Sector.

 
<hr>
 

==== Days after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Though the Ordos Prosperitas were soon made aware of the ill portents, things that had been set in motion long before the St Sanguinius left port continued without the hidden hand of the Inquisition able to stay them.

On Korimesta, a world that had very nearly driven off the influence of House Vilas-Lobo and seceded from the Imperium with the aid of the trans-Prosperitas resistance of the Rising Flame, the Imperial forces of the Prosperitas Crusade meted out brutal punishments to the rebels. Turned into a work camp by House Globex, who purchased the world from House Vilas-Lobo, Korimesta was made into an example by the Imperium. While this temporarily damaged morale amongst the Rising Flame, it also furthered tensions between those who identified as Imperials and those who identified as part of the Annwfyn and Ruwwad ethnic groups - with widespread hostility only growing in the aftermath of the slaughter of the rebels-

Meanwhile, the tensions in the ever-chaotic politics of the Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector continued to rise: with House Monforte’s Lord missing, presumed dead, and the ailing finances of the house exposed - its debtors and rivals fell upon it, reducing what remained of it to a Beggar House. Its greatest spoils went to the Great Houses of Durovera, Vilas-Lobo and Di Firro, who coordinated the ruin of their once-rival. The greatest of the prizes being the Charters of the House - the contracted essential services of the Imperium. While the two Rogue Trader Houses kept their spoils, House Vilas-Lobo surprised many by granting theirs to the ‘upstart’ nobility of House Ruttyer - a surprising alliance, given that Vilas-Lobo once sneered down their noses at a House with barely a century of history.

With the Inquisition confirming the ‘death’ of Armelius Durovera (while avoiding any tales that could undermine his House), and with no heirs appointed, the Sector Nobility are forced to begrudgingly accept the succession of the Rogue Trader, Hermione Durovera, to the position of Sector Governor. This does not mean peace, though, for while formal civil war has failed to erupt, the ancient War of Blades - hidden beneath an ostensive ‘Cold War’ between the various Houses - continues. Hermione Durovera’s rule is legitimated, but by no means complete: while she can call the major worlds of Subsector Primus largely loyal to her, the other Houses’ influences and territories mean that, ultimately, the situation amongst the Prosperitas Nobility returns to what it has always been - Legitimised Warlords ruling the Imperial Frontier.

 
<hr>
 

==== Weeks after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Again and again, the sign of Dorghar, the Beast of the Apocalypse was drawn by the Augers of the Prosperitas Conclave. The Inquisition searches madly for the source of the coming threat; there are frantic warnings to keep eyes out along the Eye-wards frontier of the Prosperitas Sector, searching for any signs of warp disturbances - as Inquisitorial forces deploy what meagre resources they can pull together to support dilapidated Arbites and local Enforcers for any coming storm. No risk is discounted, and, yet, the Imperium is still woefully unprepared when the threat does come.

In the weeks that follow, the Eye of Terror - the swirling Warp Storm that the Prosperitas Sector so perilously orbits - ‘opens’. Though the nature of perceiving a vortex into hell is difficult to put into words, the surge in warp energies washed through the Sector. The first signs are the nightmares, as human minds, sensitive to the energies of the warp, are overloaded by hellish visions; the poor unfortunates who are more sensitive than most, and lack training to cope, are driven to madness - between psychological trauma and the increased tension from sleepless nights, violence spills out into the streets. With tensions amongst the various sub-groups of the Prosperitas Sector already high, that’s where civility is the first to break. It takes little effort to ignite riots, and with the worlds of the Prosperitas frontier lacking the garrisons of the mighty worlds of the Imperium, control is hard to reassert.

The Cults of the Archenemy arise in the aftermath, urged on by dreams interpreted as messages from ‘caring’ otherworldly masters - or simply exploiting the chaos. The Terrorist-Cult of the Red Hand is the most widespread instigator of the violence - their song of Khorne-the-Liberator in the avatar of their ‘Red Saint’ has gained them a following of the dispossesed and discarded, and, more worryingly, the war-wounded veterans of the Prosperitas Crusade, who have been cast off for no longer being of use to the Imperium’s wars.

But the threat does not just come from within: without the Weeping Eye and Creeping Death, tribal warbands of pirates and eye-barbarians, whose leaders gave worship to the Plaguefather, and have been harassing the Prosperitas Crusade for years, greatly benefit from favourable warp tides. They cross the border of the Sector and launch an attack that brings Kelper Prime, the stalwart fortress world that has resisted the push of the forces of Chaos for centuries, to finally fall to plague and invasion. Worse still, Olethros Secunda, a world previously believed to be completely safe, also falls to Archenemy invaders. It is only due to the sacrifice of Rogue Trader Lady-Captain Khadija Majid, who coordinated the mediocre system defence fleet (losing her life in the process) that any managed to escape the invasion - and bring word of the regimented Archenemy forces not seen since the days of the Regency, the former traitor rulers of the Prosperitas Sector.

Not all portents pointed to doom, however - Lord Inquisitor Hector Aetós of Terra arrives in the sector, and effectively reorganised the still loyal Inquisitors of the Prosperitas Sector into a formal Inquisitorial Conclave under the title “Ordos Prosperitas”.

At the same time, Emmissarius-Palantine Sylas Derrig Soren van Boren de Toombes, Envoy First Class, Servant of the Master of the Adeptus Administratum, Scion of House Boren de Toombes, Bearer of the Voice of the Throne, representative of the High Lords of Terra, also arrives at the sector - nominally, he is here to formally invest Hermione Durovera with the throne of Sector Governor; but he also represents increased pressure on the Sector Governors to fulfil their duty to Terra - and ensuring that one of the major supply routes into Cadia remains open no matter what. The Space Marines of the Void Hounds Chapter, whose alliance with House Durovera ensured she survived long enough to hold onto her Throne, finally departs the sector after the Emmissarius-Palantine hands them edict from the High Lords - requiring them to return to their chapter fleet with petitions to join another warzone. As a sign of whatever pact Hermione Durovera made with their Chapter Master, they leave an Honour Guard of Battle Brothers to act as her bodyguards.

 
<hr>
 

==== Months after the St Sanguinius Incident… ====
Though the Ordos Prosperitas were able to gather their united resources with some donated from the Terran Conclave by Inquisitor Aetos - as well as opening various forbidden vaults provided by Terra - they continue to grapple with strife within the Imperium. At the same time, at the borders of the Sector, the Crusade musters to respond to the assaults on Kelper Prime and Olethros Secunda. In the process, Mawson’s Wake also falls silent, leaving many to believe it has been conquered by the same forces that took Olethros.

Surprisingly, the enemy does not reveal itself on the battlefield, rather in the courts of the Nobles of Subsector Secundus. There, shrouded diplomats, showing not an inch of bare skin, arrive wearing gilded masks adorned with scales like those of serpents. These heralds seem to have no fear in the face of almost certain execution by their hosts - instead, they deliver a plea from their Masters: they claim to represent the ‘rightful’ governors of the Sector, the members of the Archenemy Regency who survived being overthrown in the early years of the Crusade. These diplomats are eloquent, and surprisingly captivating - as many survive to walk out of the glittering halls after giving their tidings;

We will let you Govern, if you simply renounce your God-Emperor; our goals are the same - our duty, sacred.

The Inquisition begins hunting down these emissaries where it can, but it does not have the resources to outright depose and exterminate those who listened to the poisonous message - not without these nobles showing signs of corruption first - for such is the power and reach of those born to heritages of power and tradition. But it is obvious to everyone in the Ordos Prosperitas that the seeds have been planted. Inquisitors send spies, and move kill teams into position to ensure that the damage can be mitigated when this venomous seeding eventually comes into bloom.

However, not all problems are due to the Ruinous Powers. While the Inquisition wearily waits for the dark message to bear fruit, the dance of assassinations and underhanded sabotage between the High-Born continues. In the meantime, the Inquisition’s concern is directed towards the continued entrenchment of Cardinal Ignatius Grulge. Although his opponents and the Ordos Prosperitas have secured a formal Excommunication for his involvement in the proscribed Temple of the Saviour Emperor, the popular support for the Cardinal remains untouched. Imperial Propaganda takes to calling him ‘The Heresiarch’, mocking him for his intention to be opposed to the Ecclesiarch on Terra. Although he is formally identified within the Temple as an ‘Archimandrite’, Grulge owns the insulting title - using it as an example to his followers of how the Ecclesiarchy ‘establishment’ fears their power. It proves exceedingly difficult to turn public opinion against Grulge: the Ecclesiarch is a distant figure on a world near-mythological to citizens who will never see it, while Grulge is right here in the sector, doing what he can for the common man.

The Gearwright Sect - an unsanctioned group of believers who believe in the Sainthood of an Olethran Citizen (and, problematically, an Astropath), Cal Gearwright - have become a strong opposition to the temple, with more moderate ‘traditional’ elements of the Ecclesiarchy increasingly out of touch, and marginalised in the battle for the souls of the God-Emperor’s faithful. By comparison, more established - and with more armed and more militant followers - Grulge and the Temple’s reaction to the upstarts is predictable: Gearwright gatherings are frequent targets of horrendous interfaith violence. As they are unrecognised by the Ecclesiarch, which classifies them as heretics themselves, the Imperial law largely prevents formal intervention to protect the Gearwrights. This causes Arbites and Sororitas interventions to inevitably lead to three-way battles, as both Imperial forces seek to punish all present.

To make matters more concerning, an Imperial Assassin fails to execute Grulge in the waning months of the year - as the Heresiarch seemingly manifests some form of miracle to protect himself from the blade of his killers, and emerging unscarred. Unsurprisingly, this only strengthens the widespread belief in his legitimacy. His power in the Sector continues to grow, and many amongst the Nobility and Commanders of the Prosperitas Crusade hesitate to directly bring the fight to him: their priority is to ensure that the Sector does not fall to the Archenemy first and foremost; committing their already strained resources to an ecumenical squabble does not seem tactically sound.

 
<hr>
 

==== One Year after the St. Sanguinius Incident… ====
Exactly six months after their masked Diplomats visited the Houses of Subsector Secundus, multiple fleets in old Imperial Army configurations - and bearing the heretical insignia of the Eye of Horus - arrive to the Prosperitas Sector. These represent the exiled remnants of the [[Regency]]. While the enemy forces in the early years of the Prosperitas Crusade were mostly conscripted forces led by those loyal to the Archenemy - the members of the Regency descend from those loyalists - fanatics that were loyal enough to follow their surviving masters into years of exile in the deep void, doing Emperor-knows-what to survive. They are a far cry from the rabble of rebels, pirates and barbarians that the Prosperitas Crusade faced many years ago.

The Regency strikes first at Lerwick and Hellaerus III, where it is met with swiftly organised resistance; but, with the Crusade disunited and in disarray, and lacking a Warmaster for well over a year, it is only the most unexpected of assistance that allows them to weather either assault. At Lerwick, it is believed that Rising Flame infiltrators within the orbital defence grid retask it to intercept the Regency fleet before it translates from the Warp - a manoeuvre that saves the day. That particular bit of information is suppressed by the Inquisition, who, despite their best efforts, find no living Rising Flame infiltrators to interrogate - as all souls aboard the control platform are found dead, with some executed by mass-reactive rounds.

At Hellaerus III, rescue comes from dark-armoured Astartes who only identify themselves as the “Lions of Nemea''. Though equipped with weaponry considered outdated by Imperial standards, these marines strike swiftly in support of the Imperial Navy, and manage to destroy several vessels - before fading from the battlefront as quickly as they emerged. They remain distant from Imperial forces in the months that follow, appearing where they are needed, but committing little and communicating even less. Inquisitor Jean Luc Valtrois of the Ordo Astartes and Ordo Prosperitas provides a closed-doors briefing to several major leaders, and silences any suspicions about the Chapter’s arrival.

But the Regency is not without its victories: the lack of Crusade coordination - combined with the infighting between Mechanicus factions on the surface of Henlock - allows the Archenemy forces and their allied Hereteks to retain control of the Titan graveyard. Blame is largely placed upon the forces of Naximus Prime - whether because of long standing prejudices towards Naximus from the other Forges, or because Naximus has spent much of the war focusing its forces on stripping technology from the Graveyard instead of securing their positions. This has seriously strained relations between the Naximus and the sole Knight World of the Sector, Anaximund Alpha - whose loyalties are held by ancient pacts to the Forge World, but who increasingly feel their honour is tested by the dishonourable cold and calculated actions of their Masters.

 
<hr>
 

==== Months Before the Silence… ====
In the few months before the Silence, no one, not even the Prosperitas Conclave, had any idea what was coming: perhaps some mysterious alien Seers, always calculating and everwatching, saw what was looming over the Mon’keighs. If they did, they remained silent, and watched only - as they had for centuries before, as they would for centuries after.

It became apparent to all that without an appointed Warmaster, the Prosperitas Crusade was rudderless, and lacked the ability to effectively coordinate. Sarina Khan, Admiral of the Battlefleet Prosperitas was, by merit, the best choice - and, in better times, this would definitely not have been sufficient. Khan is Ruwwad by ethnicity, a native of the Prosperitas Sector, which was the blackest of marks, despite a spotless career record and a list of victories under her belt. Furthermore, the tensions surrounding native Prosperitans and “True” Imperials sparked by the conflict on Korimesta would normally mean that she was politically unappealing to both the Nobles of the Prosperitas Sector, and many in the Crusade. But with tragedy hitting on all fronts, Khan’s enemies were fragmented, and, with the Noble Houses at each other's throats, what influence they might have been able to use to push their ‘preferred’ candidates was too splintered: no House would be seen backing someone that others were backing as well, and the ‘traditionalist’ military faction within the Crusade (which had often relied upon the support of the Houses, with many of them being Nobles themselves) was fragmented. By comparison, the reformist elements of the Crusade, though lacking the power and swing of Noble Houses to support their own candidates, were, by comparison, united behind Khan. In the end, it was Hermione Durovera’s greed that ultimately secured Khan’s succession: the Sector Governor effectively discounted herself from making the appointment of Warmaster by choosing herself. However, lacking the sway her brother had used when he made a similar move, it fell to the Terran delegation and Emmissarius-Palantine Sylas Derrig Soren van Boren de Toombes to make the decision. Seeming to have a talent to spot the sane voices in his delegation, as well as those in the Ordos Prosperitas, de Toombes determined Khan’s ascension.

Warmaster Khan I of the Prosperitas Crusade immediately set to work, by reorganising the campaign against the Archenemy, while also redistributing forces to ensure that the Imperial line held strong. Her position was by no means secure, but she showed admirable ability to flatter and compromise with her opponents to ensure they were both making themselves useful, and were conveniently positioned where they could interfere less in her affairs.

While the Crusade Forces reorganised to face a new threat, the Inquisition dispatched a Strike Force into the Wake - a blighted region of space, and a haven to pirates and other heretics. They sought a missing artefact - a large coffin of unusual origin. The Inquisition forces ultimately manage to throw a wrench into the plans of the Changer of Ways, who was attempting to manipulate the skein of fate to bring forth one of its Champions to unleash upon the Sector. Much to its consternation, the Acolytes manage to rescue an individual thought lost to the tides of history, and kept captive by the Changer - Warmaster Dragos Ulian and his Emperor-class Battleship, the Lion of Terra.

Cleared by the Inquisition of taint and madness, Dragos Ulian is returned to the Crusade, where many traditionalists argue that Khan must stand down and make way for him. But Ulian was very much similar to Khan in his day, and refuses to become the pawn in the politics of the Crusade. So, he steps aside willingly, retiring, instead, to the role of ‘Warmaster-Emmiratus’ - acting as an advisor to the Warmaster but abdicating from any direct control over the Crusade. The return of the Lion of Terra and her Master is totemic, and boosts the Crusade morale, which rallies even in the face of the brutal fighting against the Regency, and the harassment of pirates and eye-barbarians.

And then, Silence…

 
<hr>
 

==== The Silence ====

The first signs came when the astropathic Choirs became tranquil, and their songs became whispers, then faded altogether. The courier ships that carried messages from out-sector, soon were carrying them within…

Not long after, Navigators became blind, and could not find their way in the pathways of the stars…

Soon, all warp engines, even those of the mighty warships of Battlefleet Prosperitas sputtered, then went to sleep…

And, in a Sector wracked by war and conflict, there was just… Silence.

At first, the Inquisition dispatched its servants across the Sector, trying to find any clues to explain what was happening: there were concerns about a possible contamination of the Choirs by some unknown means - but, soon, the phenomena intensified and went past the quieted voices. Little by little, a veil was drawn around the sector, as the Navigators were next, grounding countless vessels, and forcing a few others to ‘warp skips’.

When, suddenly, the veil between warp and reality hardened entirely. Not even the warp drives of battleships could breach it, and go to warp.

The Sector was still, and its worlds completely cut off from each other.

In active warzones, the fighting continued, with the phenomena striking the enemies of the Imperium equality harshly, with neither side having hopes of reinforcements. A myriad of planetary wars continued, but the sector-wide theatre was painfully slow. Without astropaths, communications had to happen through more ancient, slower forms of transmission - taking weeks, months even, depending on the quality of broadcast. But, for every beleaguered Imperial force, there were Archenemy advances that stuttered to a halt, as daemon-touched war-engines suddenly went quiet, with the neverborn within ceasing to exist.

Those left stranded in realspace were the lucky ones - because those travelling in the warp when the Silence fully fell found themselves trapped in a sterile and timeless otherealm, detached from time and space, completely oblivious of what was going on around them.

And although all was quiet, there were still predators…

 
<hr>
 

==== A Time of Stillness ====
For one long year (Terran Standard), the Prosperitas Sector was affected by the Silence, with communication between worlds reduced to primitive methods for all but those with access to the most potent techno arcana. This isolated the sector, but also slowed the forces of the Archenemy who faced similar - if not worse - disruption. Though Psykers remained able to call upon the energies of the warp, the barrier was so thickened that it weakened their power too, while preventing anything from the other side from passing through.

The Silence was exploited by those in power - especially Hermione Durovera - to ignite passionate Imperialist sentiments in the population, and encouraged a banding of all those who considered themselves loyal to the Imperium. This isolated those who stood apart, especially the Annwfyn and Ruwwad social groups, which, in turn, led to increasing tensions. Even when the warp suddenly came back in Mid-596.M41, the popular rallying cry of “Imperium Prosperitas” remained in use.

 
<hr>
 

==== The Tide Comes In ====
It would have been poetic if the Silence had ended with some fanfare, tragedy or Chaos…but in truth, it was nothing as dramatic.

At first, nobody was aware the Silence had ended - until the first Astropathic messages reached the unprepared and idle Astropaths. It was a slow, sleepy awakening for those who had spent nearly a year with little news from the great outside, and little to fear but the threats inside.

The Ordos Prosperitas sought answers, but, to this day, are still no closer to working out its cause. The commonly held belief lays blame on a Warp Surge, suggesting that perhaps the strange realm that houses the Darkness, and is informally known as “the Prison”, had reacted to the tidal energies of the Eye, and projected a Sector-wide anti-Warp field, to protect itself from intrusion. Such a reaction would imply some degree of guiding sentience behind the workings of the Prison, making the Ordos have resolutely decided it would be better if the Adeptus Mechanicus not bound to the Inquisition were not informed of this particular theory for a myriad of reasons.

The Story So Far (Campaign 1 Part 1)

2023-03-02T15:04:09Z

Hal: Hal moved page The Story So Far (Campaign 1 Part 1) to Campaign 1 - Part 1

#REDIRECT [[Campaign 1 - Part 1]]

Campaign 1 - Part 1

2023-03-02T15:04:09Z

Hal: Hal moved page The Story So Far (Campaign 1 Part 1) to Campaign 1 - Part 1

The Prosperitas Sector

2023-03-02T14:55:16Z

Hal:

Welcome, Servant, to the Prosperitas Sector. You will have navigated the '''Sol-Prosperitas Passage''' through the unusual warp tides that make that approach so dangerous, or perhaps you have navigated the '''Cadian Trade Corridor''' with all its dangers of [[The Archenemy|Archenemy]] and [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector|Xenos]] pirates. Both these narrow points make entry the Prosperitas Sector difficult, and renders it one of the most isolated regions in the entire [[Life in the Imperium|Imperium]]. This is the frontier: far from civilisation, far from home, and on the very edge of Imperial civilisation. Perhaps you were born here, and know that fact very well...

The poor treatment of local populations, the presence of [[heretic]] cults that survived the initial invasion, the looming threat of the [[Archenemy]], and the ongoing military operations of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]] ensure that the sector is one of the Imperium’s most volatile and difficult to control regions. To make matters worse, the slaughter of many in the Ordos Prosperitas several years ago has spread the [[Inquisition]] thin, leaving critical blind spots in its vigilant watch against the enemies of mankind.

=== History ===

* [[History of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[The Story So Far]]

=== Geography ===

* [[Geography of the Sector]]
* [[Map of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Worlds of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Astronavigational Information]]
* [[Void Hazards]]
* [[Planetary Hazards]]
* [[Warp Hazards]]

=== Ethnicity ===

The descendants of the original Imperial colonists exist today in the form of the '''[[Annwfyn]]''' ethnic group, found on the spinward planets of Subsector Secundus and the rimward planets of Subsector Primus, and the '''[[Ruwwad]]''' ethnic group, found primarily on worlds in the trailing (west) region of Subsector Secundus and the rimward parts of Subsector Tertius.

It is easy to tell an Imperial Settler from a native; the majority of settlers speak Low Gothic, and perhaps High if they are educated, but are familiar with no other tongues. Most have names that originate in pre-Imperial Germanic and Latin-speaking cultures. Natives are much more likely to have Annwfyn or Ruwwadi names, and may speak one of the (forbidden) languages of those cultures.

* [[Annwfyn]]
* [[Ruwwad]]
* [[Imperial Colonists]]
* [[Voidborn]]

=== Culture ===

* [[Prayer and Liturgy]] in the Prosperitas Sector
* [[Songs_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Songs and Hymns]] of the Prosperitas Sector
* [[Primarchs_and_Imperial_Saints#Local_Saints_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector.|Local Saints]]

The Prosperitas Sector

2023-03-02T14:54:25Z

Hal:

Welcome, Servant, to the Prosperitas Sector. You will have navigated the '''Sol-Prosperitas Passage''' through the unusual warp tides that make that approach so dangerous, or perhaps you have navigated the '''Cadian Trade Corridor''' with all its dangers of [[The Archenemy|Archenemy]] and [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector|Xenos]] pirates. Both these narrow points make entry the Prosperitas Sector difficult, and renders it one of the most isolated regions in the entire [[Life in the Imperium|Imperium]]. This is the frontier: far from civilisation, far from home, and on the very edge of Imperial civilisation. Perhaps you were born here, and know that fact very well...

The poor treatment of local populations, the presence of [[heretic]] cults that survived the initial invasion, the looming threat of the [[Archenemy]], and the ongoing military operations of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]] ensure that the sector is one of the Imperium’s most volatile and difficult to control regions. To make matters worse, the slaughter of many in the Ordos Prosperitas several years ago has spread the [[Inquisition]] thin, leaving critical blind spots in its vigilant watch against the enemies of mankind.

=== History ===

* [[History of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[The Story So Far]]

=== Geography ===

* [[Map of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Worlds of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Astronavigational Information]]
* [[Void Hazards]]
* [[Planetary Hazards]]
* [[Warp Hazards]]

=== Ethnicity ===

The descendants of the original Imperial colonists exist today in the form of the '''[[Annwfyn]]''' ethnic group, found on the spinward planets of Subsector Secundus and the rimward planets of Subsector Primus, and the '''[[Ruwwad]]''' ethnic group, found primarily on worlds in the trailing (west) region of Subsector Secundus and the rimward parts of Subsector Tertius.

It is easy to tell an Imperial Settler from a native; the majority of settlers speak Low Gothic, and perhaps High if they are educated, but are familiar with no other tongues. Most have names that originate in pre-Imperial Germanic and Latin-speaking cultures. Natives are much more likely to have Annwfyn or Ruwwadi names, and may speak one of the (forbidden) languages of those cultures.

* [[Annwfyn]]
* [[Ruwwad]]
* [[Imperial Colonists]]
* [[Voidborn]]

=== Culture ===

* [[Prayer and Liturgy]] in the Prosperitas Sector
* [[Songs_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Songs and Hymns]] of the Prosperitas Sector
* [[Primarchs_and_Imperial_Saints#Local_Saints_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector.|Local Saints]]

The Prosperitas Sector

2023-03-02T14:54:11Z

Hal:

Welcome, Servant, to the Prosperitas Sector. You will have navigated the '''Sol-Prosperitas Passage''' through the unusual warp tides that make that approach so dangerous, or perhaps you have navigated the '''Cadian Trade Corridor''' with all its dangers of [[The Archenemy|Archenemy]] and [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector|Xenos]] pirates. Both these narrow points make entry the Prosperitas Sector difficult, and renders it one of the most isolated regions in the entire [[Life in the Imperium|Imperium]]. This is the frontier: far from civilisation, far from home, and on the very edge of Imperial civilisation. Perhaps you were born here, and know that fact very well...

The poor treatment of local populations, the presence of [[heretic]] cults that survived the initial invasion, the looming threat of the [[Archenemy]], and the ongoing military operations of the [[Prosperitas Crusade]] ensure that the sector is one of the Imperium’s most volatile and difficult to control regions. To make matters worse, the slaughter of many in the Ordos Prosperitas several years ago has spread the [[Inquisition]] thin, leaving critical blind spots in its vigilant watch against the enemies of mankind.

=== History ===

* [[History of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[The Story So Far]]

=== Geography ===

* [[Map of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Worlds of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Astronavigational Information]]
* [[Void Hazards]]
* [[Planetary Hazards]]
* [[Warp Hazards]]

=== Ethnicity ===

The descendants of the original Imperial colonists exist today in the form of the '''[[Annwfyn]]''' ethnic group, found on the spinward planets of Subsector Secundus and the rimward planets of Subsector Primus, and the '''[[Ruwwad]]''' ethnic group, found primarily on worlds in the trailing (west) region of Subsector Secundus and the rimward parts of Subsector Tertius.

It is easy to tell an Imperial Settler from a native; the majority of settlers speak Low Gothic, and perhaps High if they are educated, but are familiar with no other tongues. Most have names that originate in pre-Imperial Germanic and Latin-speaking cultures. Natives are much more likely to have Annwfyn or Ruwwadi names, and may speak one of the (forbidden) languages of those cultures.

* [[Annwfyn]]
* [[Ruwwad]]
* [[Imperial Colonists]]
* [[Voidborn]]

=== Culture ===

* [[Prayer and Liturgy]] in the Prosperitas Sector
* [[Songs_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Songs and Hymns]] of the Prosperitas Sector
* [[Primarchs_and_Imperial_Saints#Local_Saints_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector.|Local Saints]]

Geography of the Sector

2023-03-02T14:49:22Z

Hal: Created page with "600px Located spinward (galactic east) of the Cadia Sector, and rimwards (galactic north) towards space unclaimed by the Imperium, the Prosperitas Sector sits right upon the edge of the huge spatial anomaly known as the Eye of Terror. It is strategically important, as it represents one of the few resource heavy sectors able to supply the defences around the Eye to protect the Imperium from the Dark Forces..."

[[File:Sector-Map-Red.jpg|600px]]

Located spinward (galactic east) of the Cadia Sector, and rimwards (galactic north) towards space unclaimed by the Imperium, the Prosperitas Sector sits right upon the edge of the huge spatial anomaly known as the [[Threats of the Prosperitas Sector|Eye of Terror]]. It is strategically important, as it represents one of the few resource heavy sectors able to supply the defences around the Eye to protect the Imperium from the Dark Forces that dwell within that twisted space.

* [[Map of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Worlds of the Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Astronavigational Information]]
* [[Void Hazards]]
* [[Planetary Hazards]]
* [[Warp Hazards]]

MediaWiki:Tweeki-navbar-left

2023-03-02T14:47:32Z

Hal:

MediaWiki:Tweeki-navbar-left

2023-03-02T14:46:56Z

Hal:

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* Your Character's Background
* Starting Stats and Abilities
* Picking your Traits
* Character Advancement
* Traits Index
* Ranged Combat Traits
* Close Combat Traits
* Defensive Traits
* Combat Support Traits
* Willpower Traits
* Professional Traits
* Bionic Traits

Setting,
* An Age of Ignorance - READ FIRST
* Reading the Wiki - READ SECOND
* Life in the Imperium
* The Prosperitas Sector
* Geography of the Sector
* Factions of the Prosperitas Sector
* Prosperitas Dramatis Personae
* Threats of the Prosperitas Sector
* The Story So Far
* Prosperitas Gazetteer
* Prosperitas Sector Reports
* Conclave Updates

Contact

Law and Order

2023-03-02T14:41:52Z

Hal: crosslink

=== Imperial and Planetary Law ===

There are two categories of law in the Imperium, ‘Local’ or ‘Planetary’ Laws and ‘Imperial’ Law.

Local and Planetary Laws are set by the Governments of those worlds and deal with petty and minor crimes, often up to and including murder. The influence a Government has on setting those laws can vary, as can the powers of local law enforcement. The makeup of local police forces varies massively from planet to planet as a result; some are more casual volunteer militias whereas on Duroverum, for example, each noble House has a personal security force responsible for enforcing house and planetary laws within their domain, while on Kuatis enforcement is the business of grim Guild thugs. There is no Imperial-mandated uniformity for these local forces and laws; they can vary from planet to planet, from vaguely sensible consequences for theft and murder, to the frankly bizarre laws governing the presentation of a planetary ruler in artwork.

Imperial Law is the direct opposite. It is immutable; every single line of it laid down in the Lex Imperialis, the Book of Judgement - a text so ancient it can trace its first drafting to the Emperor’s initial subjugation of the warring nations of Holy Terra. It is enforced by the Adeptus Arbites, the Imperial Judiciary and Police force, grim individuals schooled and indoctrinated with Imperial values. Imperial Laws primarily focus upon High Crimes such as treason, and threats to the internal security and stability of the Imperium. However, the Arbites have a vast array of powers and wide jurisdiction and will quickly take over investigations from the local police IF they believe it has a connection to a wider threat.

Unlike local police, Arbites ARE the law in of themselves, they need not bring a suspect to a local magistrate; they are (if needed) responsible for judging and sentencing crimes on the spot. These powers, imbued in individuals who are assigned FAR from their homeworlds as to avoid conflicts of interest, are a potent mix that keeps Planetary Governments in line as much as it does Lowborn citizens. The entire Imperium knows that it is constantly under the stern, vigilant gaze of the Arbites, and that should they stray from compliance with Imperial Law, or fail to deliver what the Imperium desires, it will be the Arbites who will ensure they do not make that mistake twice.

=== Lex Imperialis ===
At the heart of Imperial Law is the Lex Imperialis, the great codex of Imperial law, held to be the Word of the Emperor Themself. The Lex itself is vast, containing a huge volume of legal precedent and records of past judgement; for this reason, no single copy of the entire Lex exists anywhere but Holy Terra. But it remains the core book of law used by the Adeptus Arbites.

Abridged versions, codices and exegetical manuscripts of the Lex are used throughout the Imperium in Arbites precinct-fortresses, to provide the Adepti Arbites with a basis for their righteous judgements. The most complex cases, however, must be referred back to the Book of Judgement on Holy Terra, and may be centuries in the adjudication – often coming to a conclusion years after the original victims and perpetrators of the alleged crime are long dead.

Arbites often carry a field summary of the Lex known as the Book of Law – often, incorrectly, referred to as the Lex. An oath on such a book is considered by most in the Imperium as binding and sacred as an oath upon a religious text or the Name of the Emperor.

In cases where local planetary or feudal law and the Lex might seem to contradict each other, the Lex – as interpreted in the unquestionable judgement of a sworn Arbiter – always has primacy. Cases which highlight local law diverging too far from the Lex Imperailis are often considered a warning sign that the planetary government is straying dangerously from Imperial norms, and may even call for an investigation into the Governor themself by the Arbites; no Imperial subject is above the Law.

=== Sentencing ===

There is one uniform reality for the legal process in the Imperium: neither Arbites nor local Magistrates have any time for trials. Sentencing is almost always carried out on arrest or as soon as the criminal has been dragged before the appropriate official. Only the most prominent and powerful figures are afforded the dignity of standing trial and even then there are many situations where such things are circumvented, especially in the hands of Arbites.

Although the sentencing guidelines for many crimes does give the option of delivering a death warrant, the Imperium very rarely carries out executions of regular citizens. More often than not they are exclusively reserved for prominent and popular criminals for the purpose of propaganda, and for individuals deemed to be irredeemable by the official sentencing them.

For most petty criminals, fines and punitive punishments are used; for those found guilty of more severe crimes the Imperium has penal duty in military Penal Legions, or labour on various penal worlds, colonies and prison ships or to the flagellant penitents of the Ecclesiarchy. Ultimately a dead body is of less use to the Imperium then a live one, executions waste resources in more than one way and disposing of human remains takes more effort than one realizes. Thanks to advanced technology, those criminals deemed too much of a threat to be assigned to penal duties, or that know too much to be safely left intact are handed over to the Adeptus Mechanicus. These unfortunate souls suffer fates worse than death - lobotomised and modified with bionics and transformed into grotesque cyborg thralls known as ‘Servitors’. Indeed the Imperium does make heavy use of these thralls, not just for their tireless labour, but so that the sight of a former neighbour’s face left vacant and mutilated as they work machine-like is a solid reminder of what happens to those who err.

Death of criminals does of course occur; all Arbites and most local police carry an array of lethal weapons, and many ‘non-lethal’ weapons are often the opposite of that. Should criminals resist arrest or present any kind of threat to an Arbites or police enforcer, many will use lethal force rather than be put at risk. This judgement is backed by the Lex Imperialis, which supports placing the life of a law enforcer before that of a suspect.

There are also situations where mass executions are permitted. Planetary rebellions or mass rioting see Arbites turn from a police force to an elite military force to maintain Imperial control of a world - participating in rebellion is a capital crime and the Lex Imperialis supports the use of lethal force to suppress major unrest. In addition, it is not uncommon for both Arbites and Local Enforcers to engage in ‘Crime Blitzes’ against criminals and cleansing of mutant populations. In both cases hunter-killer teams will bring down the heaviest available equipment and scour the area designated as the target of the operation, brutally suppressing even minor crimes or purging mutants wherever they find them.

=== The Adeptus Arbites ===

''See Also: [[The Adeptus Arbites in the Prosperitas Sector]]''

The Adeptus Arbites are the Imperial law enforcement and judiciary. Oath-sworn to uphold Imperial Law above all else, they pursue, judge and summarily prosecute the most serious criminals, answering to neither Planetary Governor nor noble House in their pursuit of the Emperor’s Justice. They are the force of Law in the Imperium of Humanity. They enforce law and act as judge, jury and executioner; citizens of the Imperium have no rights before their powers.

They deal with major crimes, the vast majority of minor crimes, including most murders, are dealt with by local planetary Enforcers. The Arbites concern themselves with serious breakdowns in order and breaches of Imperial law where the local security forces have proved ineffective. They are not military, although they have a hierarchical rank structure and often use similar equipment to the Imperial Guard, they do not fall under Military command. Any Arbiter is expected to be capable of acting alone and without the support of their hierarchy.

They enforce Imperial law, the Arbites enforce the Lex Imperialis, which overrules all planetary and Sector laws. They oversee Governors and nobles, rank and temporal power are no bar to the duties of an Arbiter. The Adeptus Arbites can arrest a Planetary Governor who fails to pay their Imperial Tithe or a noble of a major House accused of a serious crime.

The Arbites are for this reason, largely divorced from their lives before they joined, many are taken from the Orphans raised within the [[Education|Schola Progenium]], but others come from multiple backgrounds including planetary Enforcement. Because of this Arbitrators are removed from the world of their Birth, they are expected to remain aloof from the affairs of any family if they are Nobles and are often sent to serve Sectors away from their homes so that their loyalty can never be questioned.

=== Bounty Hunters ===
Bounty Hunters fill a gap where traditional Imperial Law Enforcement is lacking, such as on the frontiers of Imperial space like the Prosperitas Sector. In these regions when a criminal slips outside of the reach of the Arbites and Local Law Enforcement and there are simply not the resources to manage pursuit of such a wide array of individual perps, Bounty Hunters are contracted. The Imperium prefers to deal directly with organised 'Guilds' of Hunters with whom it settles an agreed fee for their member who brings in a bounty as well as a cut for the Guild as well for making the arrangement. It is not a practice favoured by the Imperium as it is considered a sign of weakness to rely on others, but it is commonplace enough.

Where individuals are taking justice into their own hands and hiring bounty hunters and 'assassins' for more private arrangements that represent personal vendettas this is largely considered to be illegal, though in practice blind eyes are turned in the cases of prominent members of Imperial society.

==== Bounty Hunters in the Prosperitas Sector ====

'''The Honourable Consortium of Bounty Hunters''' is the largest and oldest confederation of Bounty Hunter Guilds in the Prosperitas Sector it exists as a loose arrangement of Guilds that have agreed to share bounty pots and information across Interstellar lines of Guild jurisdictions – through this the Consortium maintains a strong grip on Bounty Hunter contracts, many Hunters themselves resent this as paying membership fees to the Consortium is the only way to access their Marks.

Because the Consortium focuses on Imperial bounties it also demands Hunters comply to a code of not stepping outside of Imperial law, or accepting private contracts that conflict with Imperial Law. This has led to hunters creating of rival organisations such as the Elite League of Bounty Hunters with which the Consortium has been at Guild War with since 983.593.M41 which accepts contracts from anyone who can supply an award.

Consortium members are usually identified by paperwork bearing it’s seal and more often than not Guild tattoos (many favour facial markings as they take a great deal of pride in their pseudo-law-enforcement role).

Your Character's Background

2023-03-02T14:38:02Z

Hal:

=== Summary - Key Points ===
* '''DuD happens hundreds of years before mainline canon''', you are better off not mentioning/including events and characters from the canon because they likely don't exist yet.
* '''Your character was probably born in the Prosperitas Sector''', likely on one of the [[Planets]] listed on the Wiki.
* '''Your character works for the Inquisition,''' willingly or otherwise.
* '''You cannot begin play as one of the following concepts:''' Inquisitors; Navigators; Orks; Space Marines including Serfs; Rogue Traders; Heads and Direct Heirs of Noble Houses; Imperial Guard from a main-line canon Regiment.
* '''You may play an Adeptas Sororitas character regardless of your OC gender identity;''' your character must identify as female.
* '''You are encouraged to create links with existing and other new characters.'''
* '''The Game Team will write custom material based on your character background''', including assigning you to an appropriate Inquisitor, so please do send them a copy.

=== Who is the Death Unto Darkness Story about? ===
Death Unto Darkness is a story about the [[Servants of the Inquisition|Servants]] of the Holy Ordos of the God-Emperor’s Inquisition. It is a story about those who carry out the grim work of the Inquisition - not the powerful Inquisitors themselves, but their Acolytes and Servants who sweat blood and tears in the neverending struggles hidden in the shadows of the Imperium. These people are not heroes, though they may be heroic, because heroes get recognition and glory. These people do not. They might lead double lives where their aliases’ deeds are recognised, but only so far as they are permitted by their true masters, the secretive figures that guide the Imperium. If they try and leave then, by velvet glove or iron gauntlet, they are always dragged back despite their wishes. Ultimately, they know - and the Inquisition knows - that they have stared the truths of the universe in the face; and innocence, once lost, cannot be recovered.

That’s who your character is now: an Agent of the Throne, a servant of the Holy Ordos. Whether reluctant or willing, they are forever bound by threat of death or worse should they abandon their duty.

But how did you get here?

=== Your Life Before the Inquisition ===
Death Unto Darkness takes place in the [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector|middle years of the 41st Millennium]] hundreds of years before many of the events you would know from the mainline canon, as such drawing connections to canon events and characters in your background is generally not recommended, as they will have either not happened, or happened so distant from the sector as not to be known of, or (in the case of characters) likely not been born yet. Races such as the T'au, Necron and Tyranids have not even been properly encounter yet and are certainly not known about by those in the Prosperitas sector, at least in terms of familiarity.

You are, generally, encouraged to have been born on a [[planets|world]] within [[the Prosperitas Sector]] - this gives your character roots and a talking point of collective identity with others from that world, as well as investment in the game’s stakes. If none of the worlds appeal to you, don’t forget many are born in the void of space: [[Voidborn]] is an identity in and of itself, be it those born into Imperial Naval crews, on orbital stations, freight haulers or asteroid-mining platforms - or to other more esoteric void-craft.

Our wiki covers the majority of the established [[Worlds of the Prosperitas Sector]], as well as a few that sit outside of Imperial control. However, there are many places with habitable moons and void stations to choose from, if the worlds we have don’t fit your character backstory exactly. Indeed, in Subsector Secundus and Subsector Tertius, there are barely established colonies that have a generation’s worth of inhabitants living on them at best and are far outside of Imperial notice until they earn the Imperium’s interest. '''If you want to add something to the sector''', though, please send an email to the Writing Team first - it may be that you’ve missed an appropriate planet or location, or what you have in mind could need to be adjusted to fit our setting.

'''Note - On the Annwfyn and the Ruwwadi:''' The Prosperitas Sector is home to two unfairly oppressed ‘native’ populations of humans - the [[Annwfyn]] and the [[Ruwwad]]. Most Imperial agents, including of the Inquisition, are from the colonist Imperial population. Playing an Annwyfn or Ruwwad character will mean that your character is likely to have a difficult or broken relationship with their family and home culture: they are likely to be seen as the servant of the oppressor while also experiencing bigotry from the broader Imperium as a result of frictions between the rebel groups drawn from these populations. When considering playing one of these groups, please think about both whether you will enjoy roleplaying the experience of prejudice and exclusion, and about how to portray the harm it cause with sensitivity. An entirely ‘loyalist’ Annwyfn or Ruwwad character, whose first loyalty is to their home culture ahead of the Imperium, is not an appropriate choice for a Death unto Darkness PC.

==== The Citizen ====
The majority of characters were raised identifying (generously) as Citizens of the Imperium - but their life experiences will be more like that of [[The_Lowborn|Serfs and Helots]], and some might have openly been called Slaves. Slavery is what the majority of citizens born into the Imperium experience in practice - born into communities maintained to supply labourers for a specific industry or servants to a noble household. The common Imperial citizen lives a life barren of luxuries. Many of their needs such as food, water and shelter are seen to by the Imperium, but Imperial welfare can be unreliable and sometimes cruelly withdrawn in acts of communal punishment. It is the expectation of most Serfs to keep their head down, serve and do their duty; the majority go from birth to death never leaving their homeworlds, rarely leaving their settlements or even zones.

The Citizens the Inquisition does pick up are the ones who stepped out of line: the ones who were smarter than they should be, or who showed promise or gifts or mere capacity to survive when confronted with something they should not have seen. These are the traits that marked them for a life of service to the Inquisition, rather than being euthanized to extinguish the knowledge of what horrors they had witnessed.

''How aware were you that you were a slave? Did you know poverty or were you content?''

''How did you fail to conform?''

''How, if at all, were you educated?''

''When did you stop being innocent about the dark and twisted galaxy around you?''

==== The Colonist ====
On frontiers such as the Prosperitas Sector, some Citizens live quite different lives to those of the average citizen. At the fringes of the Sector there lie worlds freshly claimed by the Imperium, where settlers form the first generation of humans… or at least non-native humans to settle those worlds in a long time. On these worlds, life is harsher and different: law enforcement is sparse, and supplies are often spotty due to the colonies not yet having established routes for void-trade and spaceports. Such a life breeds a different kind of citizen - sometimes apathetic to the presence of an Imperium that seems distant from their lives, sometimes far more hopeful for the future of their world or a life away from the drudgery of general citizenhood. In the Prosperitas sector, many Colonists are the families of former soldiers, their worlds won by the military service of previous generations. Such a life can be brutal: supply issues, faulty hab-structures and hostile aliens are daily challenges for these individuals. Such individuals also learn quickly to adapt to surviving without the ‘comforts’ that most Imperial citizens have. They learn to live in extreme climates or fight alien threats. This hardiness leads them into the service of Inquisitors who prize their resolve, alongside hard-won knowledge of living on the frontier.

''At what age did you learn to handle a weapon in defence of your homestead? What threats faced your settlement on a regular basis?''

''How distant was the Imperium and the God-Emperor in your life? Did you regularly attend or take comfort from religious services, or is your experience of faith more distant?''

''How was your colony founded? Was it awarded to military heroes as an award for their honour, or was it founded to exploit a resource?''

''What strange alien vistas did your home support, and why do you yearn for them or do they haunt your nightmares?''

==== The Noble ====
Though there are some individuals who manage to rise from the bottom, the haves and have-nots of the Imperium are primarily divided by blood, not economic power or political prowess. [[The Imperial Nobility]] or Praefectus Imperialis are those born into families that claim ancient right to rule at the behest of the God-Emperor - although the veracity of such claims is hard to test. The majority of the Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector are either drawn those of Warrant-holding Rogue Trader dynasties (Houses [[Durovera]], [[Majid]] and [[Di Firro]]); those who either financed the Traders’ expeditions into this sector (House [[Villas-Lobo]]) or who draw their hereditary rights from boons granted by the Rogue Trader Houses (Houses [[Palamyr]] and [[Caerlyn]]); or those granted to heroes of the Prosperitas Crusade (such as the late House [[Monforte]]).

It is rare that the Inquisition recruits members of the Nobility. The majority are too well known to be valuable agents; in the most part they are retained via blackmail as a source of financing and social lubrication. There are, however, a handful - the disgraced and cast-off, scions of minor families in thin-blooded lines with no hope of advancement, or simply overly curious and too annoying to kill - that the Inquisition retains as agents. These are highly educated individuals, bred for a life of cut-throat competition and violence at the top.

''Was yours a life of luxury? Or was it one of brutal social conflict? Who was the first person close to you to die with a knife in their back?''

''Do you still know wealth? Or are you surrounded by the scraps and remains of a once-glorious life now gone to ruin?''

''Do you still consider yourself better than those around you of lower birth?''

''Why are you unimportant to your family in such a way that they would not step in to shield you from the Inquisition?''

==== The Martian ====
[[The Machine Cult]], though subordinate to the rule of the Imperium, enjoys considerable political power. The people of Mars have spread alongside the Imperium across the Galaxy, trading their technological knowledge for a form of religious and cultural independence rarely found in the Imperium. They now reside on Forge Worlds devoted to their Machine God, the Omnissiah, or in Forge-Fanes - segregated territories on worlds they share with the Imperium. All those who have grown up as Martians are almost as alien to their Imperial human kin as the Xenos. Not least, the Martian belief in the superiority of bionic replacements for fleshy counterparts means many have undergone voluntary or mandatory surgery to augment them so they can best perform their designated role within Martian society. The Tech-Priests who lead the Martian Cult and its people and the militant order of protectors known as the Skitarii are the most well known of the Martian classes, but generations of cyborg labourers known as Menials or Tech-Thralls join them to provide what actually keeps their society functioning.

Because even the laity of the Machine Cult has technological knowledge far outstripping that of the average human, they are often targets for Inquisitorial recruitment. They provide the Inquisition with much needed technicall knowledge, as well as providing an air of legitimacy to some of the more unusual and dubious technological items used by the Inquisition in pursuit of its task.

''Were you blessed as a member of the Priesthood, or did you serve it as a menial or a Skitarii?''

''How much of your body is the flesh you were born with, and how much of it was replaced - electively or otherwise?''

''Do you believe the Omnissiah to be a god separate from the God-Emperor, or do you believe that both are one and the same?''

''If you were a menial, then what did your servitude cost you? If you were a Priest, then what did you sacrifice to prove your faith?''

'''Note - On Appropriate Home-Forges:''' Although the Prosperitas Sector contains no less than three Forge Worlds, the Forges of [[Castellum]] and [[Naximus Prime]] are not a good choice for new player characters to originate from (due to current plot events). The Forge World of [[Ferraeus]] is not the only option for a Martian character, however: many worlds and void stations of the Sector have enclaves of the Machine Cult attending to their machinery, as well as the myriad of Explorator fleets that scour the frontiers of the Sector for technological treasures. We are not, currently, accepting Scions of the Knight-World of [[Anaximund Alpha]] as characters as they are currently unusually heavily represented amongst existing characters.

==== The Voidborn ====
The Imperium claims not just the worlds of the Galaxy, but the space between them as well - in the vastness of the void lie realms of vessels and space stations, some with greater populations than cities on ancient pre-Imperial Terra. The great ships ply the void, taking journeys of weeks and sometimes months between systems, with the occasional dive into the other realm of the warp. Whether in otherwise-empty systems or hanging above Imperial worlds, voidstations are fiefdoms unto themselves. Aboard both, whole generations live and die: they are their own cultures, with people unused to planetary gravity and non-recycled air, who find natural environments unsettling and upsetting rather than being accustomed to them. Much like the Martian, the [[Voidborn]] is an alien to the planet-bound common folk of the Imperium. Some are raised educated amongst the Officer-caste of various trader and [[The_Battlefleet_Prosperitas|Naval]] vessels, their lives surrounded by examples of the high technology of the Imperium; others are born in the dark of ships’ holds, living in isolated worlds in servitude to the officer-caste of their vessel. Some in the lowest decks of the largest voidcraft don’t even know that they are aboard a spaceship, believing that the metal walls are the extent of the world.

The Inquisition is often drawn to recruit from amongst the Voidborn because living even dimly aware of the horrors of the void and the warp may harden the mind against exposure when facing those horrors down. Though many Voidborn are cultural oddities and idiosyncratic in their observation of naval and mariner ritual, they make for capable fighters in grimy close-quarter battles and a source of pilots and ship crews for the clandestine vessels of the Inquisition.

''Were you born into the noble officer-caste of your vessel, or were you one of the teeming thousands of lower-deckers who live a life of servitude?''

''Did you serve on a military vessel of Battlefleet Prosperitas, a militia System Defence vessel, or one of the myriad of civilian ships or void-stations?''

''Interstellar vessels are equipped with Warp Engines: what was your experience of the Warp before you became a servant of the Inquisition?''

''When was the first time you saw someone die to the pitiless nature of the void?''

==== The Devout ====
While devotion to the God-Emperor is an expectation of all Imperial Citizens, the [[The_Imperial_Faith|Devout]] are those who have given their whole lives over to Their veneration. Those who walk this path are the Priests, Pilgrims, Sororitas and Faith Militant. These Imperials have given themselves so fully to the service of the Throne that some might well find their devotion unsettling or fanatical. The Devout often find themselves thrust up against the supernatural, as the Imperial Cult is frequently the first target of heretics when they rise up against the Imperium. Faith in the God-Emperor is undeniably a shield against the corruption of the Dark Gods, yet in the blinded form the Imperium demands it is all too easily misled by agents of the Archenemy.

The Inquisition, especially its more puritan elements, finds many agents from amongst the Faithful: Battle Sisters and Crusaders are used as spearheads against invasions of the unclean, while Priests provide spiritual aid and guidance to the myriad servants of the Holy Ordos.

''Did you have a life before giving yourself fully as a Servant of the Faith, or have you always been bound to the Imperial Creed?''

''What was a moment where your faith was tested?''

''What have you given to Them-on-Terra in the service of the Faith?''

''What would you do for the God-Emperor, if They commanded it?''

==== The Soldier ====
Whether groomed from birth for service in one of the elite [[Famous_Regiments_of_the_Prosperitas_Crusade|Regiments]] of the Prosperitas sector or pressed into unwilling conscription, you are one of the countless millions whose youth was spent in service to the Imperium’s endless wars. The [[Guard|Astra Militarum]] has an endless thirst for troops, recruiting from every world and station under Imperial control. The harsh discipline, camaraderie, self-sufficiency and brutal pragmatism of Regimental life has been the making of many successful warriors - and the breaking of countless millions more. The brutal reality of the Soldier is that many who are exposed to the horrors of the universe do not survive contact: if they are not spent as fuel against foes, they often they are euthanized or mind-wiped by the Inquisition to bury the secret foes that the Imperium doesn’t wish to publicly acknowledge.

Occasionally, an Inquisitor will see something in a soldier, or an entire group of them, and spare them the sword. Some might come to consider that to be the worst option, as their new position sends them into secret wars where their sanity and bodies are eroded just as surely by their new duties.

''Were you born into a military family or were you the first to serve? Were your family proud of you?''

''Did you serve in a prestigious, well-funded regiment, trained and equipped with everything you needed, or were you thrust into a scratch-built outfit and given a tattered uniform still bloodstained from its last unfortunate owner?''

''When was the first time you were given an order you were tempted to disobey? What did you do?''

''What was your rank before you were recruited into the Inquisition? Do you still think of yourself as that rank? Are you proud? Ashamed?''

==== The Progena ====
For the great majority of Imperials and within the confines of their origins, childhood is relatively normal. Despite being born into service, they grow up in (although perhaps non-standard to us in M.2) fairly stable family units, and enter service in adulthood. This is not so for those sent to the [[Education|Schola Progenium]]: the Progena are, for the most part, orphaned children of servants of the Imperium who were valued enough that their children are considered worth fostering by the Imperial state. Some come to the schola for other reasons: for example, the unacknowledged scions of noble Houses who would be a political inconvenience to one or both of their parents. Under the care of the Imperial State, Progena are raised from an early age to be devoted servants of the God-Emperor, moulded into obedient servants by the doctrinal hatreds of the Imperial Creed. Those who demonstrate tactical competence are filtered into the Militant Orders of the [[Adepta Sororitas]], the elite [[The_Prosperitas_Commissariat_and_Stormtrooper_Regiments|Stormtrooper Regiments]], and the political officers of the [[Commissariat]]. It is not a kind environment for a child to be raised in: discipline and training regimes in the Schola are harsh, and often physically and mentally painful experiences for a young person to go through. The Imperium justifies this as having a ready source of the indoctrinated and highly trained individuals essential for maintaining its control. In truth, what it puts these children through is indefensible.

The Inquisition recruits both indirectly and directly from the Schola Progenium. Some are picked out at an early stage based on natural abilities or promising auguries about their future; these will be raised for some years by the Schola before they are transferred to their Inquisitorial masters to complete their induction into the Holy Ordos. Some Progena serve a number of years as Stormtroopers or Battle Sisters before they are drawn into the Inquisition in many of the same ways that Soldiers are.

''How young were you when the Schola took you in? What dim memories of the life before the Schola do you retain?''

''How was your education? Did you excel and find the Schola something more of a military boarding school, or do you have traumatic memories of your time there?''

''Where did you want to be placed while you were being raised? Did you achieve it, or did you fall short and find yourself assigned to another service?''

''What is the one phrase, drilled into your head by the Drill Abbot responsible for leading your Schola, that sticks with you to this day like a mantra?''

'''Note - On Commissars as PCs:''' Commissars are iconic characters in 40k but they often don’t fit well with the Inquisition as servants; their very nature as political officers makes them better embedded amongst the military of the Imperium. An Inquisitor might make an unwilling contact out of a Commissar, but rarely does one enter the service of the Ordos; when they do, it’s more common that they hang up their badges of office, leaving that life behind them. We don’t recommend playing one for this reason: wearing the finery of a Commissar doesn’t fit the covert nature of the Inquisition and better suits a different style of game, although it’s still a viable past life. Some previous players have not enjoyed PC Commissars due to this stylistic conflict, and as a result we do not currently recommend them as a good route into the game.

'''Note - On Sororitas as PCs:''' The Sororitas, on the other hand, are very commonly found in the presence of the Inquisition: their faithful nature and access to some of the best technology in the Imperium makes them prized in service. When the Ecclesiarchy were stripped of much of their power and military might millenia ago, the architects of the new doctrinal canon used gendered terminology in denying the priesthood the right to command “men under arms” - and with unfailing Imperial devotion to the word of the law, the Sororitas were permitted to retain their weaponry and fleets due to the fact that their order had previously only accepted those who identify as female. This has been maintained into the current era; as such, any character who is a member of the Adepta Sororitas must identify as female. On an OC level, this identification must be sincere; we will not be including narratives that suggest any character transitioning for perceived social gain.

It is uncommon in the Prosperitas Sector for high ranking Sorors to be found in the company of Inquisitors, as the Order of His Sanguine Tears needs much of its fighting strength consolidated together. However, due to longstanding relationships between the Ordo Hereticus and the Order, it’s not uncommon for the Canoness to send a recently initiated Battle Sister to serve a few years under an Inquisitor in order to gain experience against the most vile foes of the Imperium.

==== The Psyker ====
Of all the evolutionary advances of humanity, [[psykers|psychic]] ability is the most feared by the Imperium. Those who visibly differ from ‘normal’ humans are invariably treated as mutants to be oppressed, enslaved and exterminated, or as abhumans to be exploited. A human whose mind can touch the warp, however, has the dubious advantage of not being as obvious as other such outsiders until their potential manifests. Psychic potential can go undetected for years; but when it is identified or manifests, whatever life the unfortunate soul had before abruptly ends. Those who survive both the manifestation of their powers and the brutal processing they are put through are irrevocably changed by the experience. Such an individual’s awareness of the fragile nature of reality and what lies beyond - and the traumatic training designed to bind them as obedient servants of the Imperium - frays their sanity. These experiences further separate them from their peers and mark them as Psykers - the least pejorative of the many terms designed to exclude and other them. Feared and shunned even as they grapple with the powers of the Warp, they are mentally hardened, aware of most of the horrors awaiting them. At the same time, their powers are also a curse, giving them uniquely perilous vulnerabilities that normal humans lack.

Unlike many Inquisitorial agents, Psykers often find Inquisitorial service to be paradoxically liberating: despite the risks attendant on their nature, the Holy Ordos are one of the few organisations within the Imperium where a Psyker can gain power and influence despite their condition; some even rise to the rank of Inquisitor.

''Who were you before your Psychic powers manifested? What did you lose when you were dragged into the Black Ships?''

''What horrors did you encounter while being transported aboard the Black Ships or trained to use your powers, and how did it warp your mentality?''

''When did you have your first brush with one of the horrors that live within the warp?''

''How do you view your abilities as a Psyker? Are they a disease or curse deserving of the treatment you receive as chattel of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, or do you view them as a gift and your rankle against your control by the Imperium?''

'''Note - On Limits on Psyker Characters:''' In the current timeline of Death Unto Darkness, Psykers are rare and precious resources, deployed only when it is deemed necessary by the Inquisition. To reflect this, we limit the number present in the player party at any given time, to better reflect the setting and avoid diluting the concept. If you wish to play a psyker, please talk with the Writing Team to avoid disappointment should we not be accepting psyker characters at the time.

==== The Outcast ====
Not every human who enters Inquisition service grew up within the boundaries of the Imperium. There are [[Ruwwad]] and [[Annwfyn]] communities and settlements on less established worlds that largely isolate themselves from Imperial authorities; closer to home, there are criminals, outcasts and scum that live in the wastelands between Imperial settlements, or simply down in the depths of urban underhives so vast that they are largely forgotten. Their lives are very different to those citizens who live under the Imperial regime, trading freedom from toil and service for the need to scavenge for the basic resources. For most Outcasts, life is brutal, violent and short. Many are drawn into dangerous [[Illegal_Activities_and_Crime|criminal]] lifestyles, stealing from Imperial citizens or trading illicit goods or salvaged treasures. These unfortunates often fall under the rule of gangs or warlords who carve out territory and war with rivals to defend it. If they do not die of starvation, disease or violence, many Outcasts die at the hands of Imperial forces who regularly purge such communities or round up their denizens to be processed into labour camps. Many are outright killed simply because the lives they lead left them exposed to toxic waste and harsh conditions that result in minor mutations and deformities - still seen by the Imperium as a sign of spiritual corruption, even if this is rarely justified.

The Inquisition, on the other hand, has a talent for finding diamonds in the rough amongst these individuals. In Inquisitorial service, they are used as informants to track criminal activity and chaos cults that occasionally emerge in their neglected communities. Some Inquisitors believe the hardships that Outcasts experience creates a rougher and more pragmatic sort of agent that understands the hard choices that they have to make. Furthermore, being uplifted to Inquisitorial service can create a dependence on previously absent luxuries - and this breeds a form of bought loyalty that Inquisitors can depend on for useful, if disposable, agents.

''When did you first hear about the Imperium? Was it always distantly present amongst the outcast community of your childhood, or was it something that you learned of later in your life?''

''What age were you when you first had to kill to survive? What or who was your first kill?''

''What was the nicest thing you had when growing up, and what did it cost you to get it?''

''What marks do you have from your life? What tricks did you pick up? What wounds still linger, and does the Imperium consider you a mutant in their eyes?''

'''Note - On Feral World Characters:''' A character born on a so-called ‘Feral’ world - where all authority has collapsed and most technology is either absent or scavenged from a fallen past - would largely be considered an Outsider, regardless of whether the Imperium rules their world or not. The Imperium sometimes makes no effort to save or civilise such worlds, viewing the situation on those planets as an ideal breeding ground for stronger warrior-stock. In such cases, the members of the Imperium live like uplifted beings, in orbital stations and walled cities, only venturing out to harvest stock. Characters from a feral world are likely to be highly superstitious and primitive, which normally makes them a poor choice as Inquisitorial Agents. Still, as with all Outcasts, there are those who show great promise - and sometimes an Inquisitor is just looking for muscle and a blank slate to mould to the Holy Ordos’ liking.

==== The Other ====
Some Inquisitorial Agents do not fit in any of the categories above - the Game Team are open to concepts that exist outside the origins above. These characters will be unique, and are less likely to be approved as a group concept. We have previously approved [[Abhuman]] characters such as Beastmen and the local [[Raivan]] population - but please be aware we do not routinely approve such character concepts unless the player is willing to commit to a high standard of costume and makeup. This is in order to ensure that these characters are both distinctive and unique, as well as being as rare as they would be in the setting.

We have approved Xenos (alien) character concepts in the past, but have yet to have one enter play. The physrep quality expected of an alien character is understandably prohibitive: in the event that we have one or two such characters join the warband, we want them to enhance the player experience by allowing them to interact with someone that is not only played as alien, but looks distinctly alien in appearance. For example, in the case of an Eldar character, we would expect their costume to reflect the styles of their race and expect a player to remove or completely conceal any beard, as Eldar are a beardless race in canon. While this example might be seen as extreme, we would rather not have players pursuing these concepts unless they are willing to commit to enhancing the visual and roleplaying experience of others as much as their own.

Furthermore, anyone playing an Other should be aware that their characters will have difficulty integrating with all members of the player party, or have tense interactions with Imperial NPCs. The Imperium is a cruel, suspicious and xenophobic society, and abhumans and especially aliens are hated and feared by the overwhelming majority of its citizens. Some areas of the game such as Imperial politics will be socially inaccessible, and players should consider if they will enjoy roleplaying subjection to significant prejudice as an Abhuman/Beastman, or relentless prejudice when considering a Xenos concept.

==== Disallowed Concepts ====
We cannot be exhaustive about what we will not allow, but the following concepts are not playable. The reasons for this vary: some may be too powerful within the Imperium; others we do not wish to create rules for, or we simply feel they do not fit the game we are choosing to run.

* Inquisitors
* Navigators
* Orks
* Space Marines
* Space Marine Serfs (at creation)
* Rogue Traders (but Noble Scions of Rogue Trader Houses are fine)
* Heads of Noble Houses and characters in positions of political power (at creation)
* Imperial Guard from canon regiments (local regiments inspired by canon regiments are fine, so long as effort is taken to make them look and behave a little different - like gas mask wearing trench troops in tommy hats instead of stahlhelms, for example)

=== Your Service to the Inquisition ===

There are as many ways to come to the Inquisition's notice as there are Agents - many of them unpleasant. Below are a few ideas to inspire you to consider how your character might have ended up serving an Inquisitor.

==== Promised from Birth, Raised to Serve ====

Inquisitors are a long-lived breed, and some grow the talents they require in programmes lasting decades. Whether adopted into an Inquisitor’s household as an orphan, raised in a remote blacksite training facility, or even gengineered for purpose in a Magos' womb-vat, you have been promised to the Inquisition since your earliest days. Whether you knew it or not, your life has always been devoted to the Imperium's most secret service.

==== Recruited for Talent ====

An Inquisitor’s needs are many: perhaps your master required a bruiser, a scholar or a technical expert. Whatever the reason, you were plucked unceremoniously from your old life and co-opted into your new role. Perhaps the reason you were originally recognised is still your main focus - or perhaps you've discovered a talent for skulduggery which has seen your utility to the Holy Ordos expand.

==== Seen Too Much ====

Innocent Imperial civilians often stray into the edges of Inquisition operations. Some might have caught a glimpse of a forbidden Xenos or Daemonic incursion, while others uncovered a fragment of forbidden lore in an ancient tome, or just simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The lucky are mindwiped; most are summarily executed. A rare few, however, are swept out of their lives and recruited - perhaps their situation sparked an Inquisitor’s last jaded vestiges of compassion, or good fortune meant their skills filled a niche. They get to keep their lives and memories, at the cost of never being able to return to their old existence.

==== Rescued from Damnation ====

There are always those the Imperium has no need for: convicts, survivors of holy purges, the condemned and the damned. Given one final chance to redeem yourself and owing everything to your Inquisitorial masters, there is no going back for you: only the hope that your suspended sentence might not fall on your head once again.

=== Your Decline ===
Characters in Death Unto Darkness suffer from two degrading conditions: '''Corruption''' and '''Madness'''. We do our best to personalise these effects to your character, but, in order to do so, we need to know your character well - this gives us details from which we create custom-made Madness and Corruption for each character.

While these effects are meant to be bad for the character, they are meant to be fun for the player: we don’t want to force you to endure stressful, boring or uncomfortable roleplay. This is meant to be a fun part of the system for you, even as your character experiences horror at their downward spiral.

We have two questions that we ask for this section in order to establish player comfort;

* '''What negative behaviours do you feel comfortable roleplaying?''' - This is an opportunity for you to tell us the kinds of "bad" behaviour that you as a player can enjoy acting out, this can be anything from being very comfortable engaging in PvP violence, to a joy of sneaking around sabotaging your friends, to simply being comfortable roleplaying addiction, or paranoia, or loss of intellect/spikes in violence...and so on, the kinds of behaviour that, if trapped by a Madness or Corruption card into doing so, you would be comfortable playing out for potentially an entire event.
** As a note, '''please''' don't include behaviours in here that would take you out of play, for example 'laziness' or 'being by yourself' we have no issue with you roleplaying these traits but we're not going to issue you with roleplaying effects that encourage you to disengage with the game.

* '''What negative behaviours don't you feel comfortable roleplaying?''' - The obvious inverse of the above, please do tell us what kinds of behaviour you aren't comfortable playing out - you do not need to explain why no questions will be asked, we just want to make sure that things remain -fun- for you.

==== Your Madness ====
Madness is a supernatural effect, and is not related to any real life mental health conditions - this is the reaction of the human mind to being exposed to something it was not created to comprehend. The mental limits of individuals might differ: a soldier is likely to be less traumatised when exposed to a charnel house than a scholar would, but this is still a cinematic reaction rather than an exploration of real life mental health and trauma. When in doubt, or where the effects of Madness superficially resemble a real symptom, please roleplay with consideration for the impact of your portrayal: the game community is neurodiverse and if you are unsure how to roleplay an effect comfortably, discussion with the Writing Team is welcome.

The questions we ask are;

* '''What obsessions or addictions does your character have?''' - Many characters has some sort of obsession, be it common things like protecting those they love, keeping their uniform pressed and neat, or keeping themselves clean of taint and sickness. But unhealthier obsessions do exist, be it an addiction to the weird and wonderful chems of the Prosperitas Sector, or the cannibalistic beliefs of some Death Cults or simply something as simple as hatred of the Witch or Mutant pushed to logical extremes. We tend to avoid addictions with real-world analogues as largely they don't make as interesting drawbacks for gameplay as addiction to, for example drugs that make you temporarily able to see the future, or something equivalent, it's not to say these flaws are invalid and can't be part of your character just that we're not looking for that style in this context.

* '''What horrors does your character's mind dwell on most?''' - Horror stalks any character who has stepped outside of the "normal life" of the Imperium to become the Agent of the Inquisition they now are, it is unavoidable that your character has seen things that have tested the limits of their sanity, it's likely why they were drawn into the Inquisition in the first place. What horrors does your character see when they shut their eyes, what sights are burned into their retina? What nightmares stalk them when they sleep? What conspiracy theories now weave themselves together in their head as they are forced to reflect on what they've seen? Be as detailed as you can: the more we know, the more personal hooks we can find for your character’s madness effects.

* '''What events haunt your character still?''' - The Inquisition often demands that its Agents carry out acts that are, to us in the modern world, horrific and evil, there is a toll for that, and it can haunt a character for years after it. Even without those, many characters come from unhappy pasts and backgrounds and continue to be haunted by them and have lived through experiences that continue to scar their memories...what are these, and how do they torment your character? Have they committed some act they have come to regret? Are there ghosts of lost friends or victims that haunt them? Be as detailed as you can: the more we know, the more personal hooks we can find for your character’s madness effects.

* '''What weaknesses of personality does your character have?''' - This is a question about a character's exploitable flaws: a character who has specific prejudices might be goaded into acting on them more and more intensely. The ways in which these cracks manifest will be defined by the Game Team for you to discover in play, but your input in providing us with these hooks is key to this part of your story. What outlets do they rely on when they are under stress: Do they turn to some past addictions? Do they lash out, or take their feelings out on the innocent or those they perceive as weaker? Do they show a compulsive habit? ny information about how you think your character’s flaws could be used against them helps us a lot.
** Please keep in mind the scope of a LARP game, however: answers such as “desire to gain political power”, while good to define personality, don't really offer something we can reflect with these mechanics, similarly "I want to keep my friends safe" is quite a standard desire and not one that offers much creative options to us.

==== Your Corruption ====
Corruption represents the growing taint of Chaos within reality, be it through whispered promises or exposure to warp energies from the tainted Realm of Chaos within the Warp. You can find its full details for the mechanic [[Corruption_and_Faith|here]]. This taint affects every person differently, with physical changes occuring only in extreme cases of exposure; in most cases, it first twists the mind, often enhancing an individual’s negative traits in ways that fuel the powers of Chaos or assist the goals of the Dark Gods.

Characters with Faith and Fire are asked instead to answer '''Your Fanaticism''' questions.

The questions we ask are:

* '''What does your character value most about themselves?''' - The things that a character holds most important and dear are the things that the Dark Gods target first - this doesn't mean friends, or items, or possessions though - this is the PERSONAL traits and capabilities of a character that they value most and that losing would hit them hardest. The In the initial levels of the corruption track the Dark Gods sap and mutate your character in ways that degrade and rob them of what they value most try to be honest, having Corruption that impacts your character meaningfully is a part of the system.

* '''What does your character's "Darkest Self" look like?''' - There are always paths not taken, and roads unwalked, especially in this dark era, if you looked at your character, how could you imagine them at their very worst, what would that look like? Who would they be. This shouldn't be a full profile of some sort of mirror universe version of your character but just some sort of insight into the darker parts of their soul if they were less inhibited by the strictures of the Imperium.

* '''If your character could have any supernatural power what would they desire?''' - The Dark Gods offer things that twist reality and break its rules, it is a part of the temptation that Chaos offers to mortal souls that they can provide tangible supernatural aid - this is very much the wishlist question, the thing your character dreams they could do. Preferably while answering this honestly from your character's point of view, try and focus on practicality of the wish within the limits of a LARP?
** We strongly discourage "the power to protect their friends" as an answer, a more practical way to protect them is being 'better as a doctor' or 'fast enough to intercept bullets' but to be clear we get this quite a bit in submissions and it's just a little too selfless to be useful as a tool.

'''Note - On “I want a specific God” Requests:''' In the past, we included questions about which power was likely to take an interest in your character.. We’ve moved away from that because we feel that it lost an element of surprise that comes with the final step of the tracks. In the same vein, we discourage trying to think up flaws based on the specific tropes associated with a specific god: it produces a less organic writing process and makes your specific path less unique. We recommend doing your best to disregard what you know about Chaos when answering these questions. This will also help to avoid disappointment if the narrative elements the Writing Team sees in your background do not match the dark power you had in mind.

'''Note - Prohibited Themes:''' We will not include anything in your Corruption effects that would breach our [[System_Policies_and_Ethos#Behaviour_at_Games|prohibited themes]]. Additionally, we will not include anything about sexuality, gender and sexual acts in Corruption effects (or in any mechanical effect). Death unto Darkness is a sex- and kink-positive game, but we don’t want to force players to interact with such themes. While we don’t discourage you from having them or roleplaying them as part of your character’s story, we find that they are better contained to controlled spaces, where only people who actively consent to interacting with them will do so. Importantly, in this setting, themes such as sexual promiscuity or experiencing sexual attraction are not considered inherently ‘corrupt’ or a marker of the taint of Chaos.

==== Your Fanaticism ====
It is incredibly rare for an Imperial character to not have faith in the God-Emperor, although some outliers such as the Adeptus Mechanicus have their own isolated religious beliefs. Those characters with [[Faith and Fire]] are far more than simply faithful in the God-Emperor - they are devoted to the God-Emperor in a fashion that is far more extreme than is normal. Some would consider them unhinged - certainly they are fanatical in their worship of the God-Emperor in whatever form they have been raised to believe in Them. In many cases this faith, while unquestioning and to outsiders quite insane, gives their mortal souls protection against the grasping corruption of the Warp. But the God-Emperor is not a kind God: the daily toil such devotion takes upon mind and body is harsh. The Imperial Cult is one built on toil and sacrifice not care and comfort, and those who give themselves so completely to it as those who have Faith and Fire often suffer far worse then the common Imperial flock.

This trait cannot be used to reflect any other religious belief than devotion to the God-Emperor; consider a '''Unique Trait''' if you would like a similar effect.

'''Update 20/02/2023:''' We are currently no longer accepting Faith and Fire unless a character comes from an '''Adepta Sororitas''' or '''Ecclesiarchy''' background as it has become quite common in the player party and risks dilution - this is designed to be an uncomfortable thing to roleplay and relies heavily on playing an unquestioning fanatic.

The questions we ask are:

* '''How does your character express their devotion to the God-Emperor?''' - Religious practices vary immensely across the Imperium; there are a myriad of sects each with their own beliefs about how the Emperor should be worshipped. You can find a few details of those beliefs [[Ecclesiarchy_Loyalists|here]] (as well as others linked off of that page) but each character's expressions of faith are their own. Amongst Inquisitorial Agents it is common to encounter all sorts of deviant and accepted forms of religious practice due to the eclectic nature of the myriad of backgrounds they are recruited from.

* '''What has your character suffered for their Faith?''' - The Faith represented by '''Faith and Fire''' is not born of a single revelatory moment, rather it is the work of a lifetime of unquestioning devotion, and with that has come suffering for your character. They have put Faith ahead of all other concerns in their life; they have suffered already in order to PROVE that faith, they have overcome obstacle after obstacle in their demonstrations of devotion to the God-Emperor and they bear the scars of that... what is your characters journey of Faith?

* '''What hatred does your character hold for others amongst their fellow Inquisitorial servants?''' - The Imperial Creed is built on intolerance, and a character with Faith and Fire is demonstrably more likely to hold those intolerances not only for the enemies of the Imperium, but likely some amongst their allies. The obvious targets of hatred are those who display mutations have have caused them to drift away from the human norm, mutants, psykers, abhumans - but not everyone holds such hate, some hate the Adeptus Mechanicus for their deviation from the Imperial Cult, or those who show insufficient devotion to the God-Emperor or simply those born of low status. This hatred needn't manifest violently, but it will often mean that the presence of such individuals presents a challenge for the Faithful in finding rest and spiritual peace.

* '''What oath would your character swear to the God-Emperor in order to show their true devotion?''' - at the '''Marked''' level of a character's Faith and Fire track they must swear an Oath to the God-Emperor that they must then enact for the rest of that event and until the middle of the next '''Campaign Event''' (numbered event rather than a Tale) that they play or sooner, you can read more about these in the [[Faith and Fire]] section

=== Your Inquisitor ===
A character does not choose which Inquisitor they serve, and neither does their player. When we receive your character concept, we will select the Inquisitor who best fits the character idea. Keep in mind that nothing prevents the agents of different Inquisitors from working together as a single cell - cooperation is a component of the game, despite the varied philosophies and whims of the Prosperitas Conclave’s Inquisitors.

Your character will not necessarily be from the same Ordos background as your Inquisitor. Your characters’ skills and experience might be best suited to Ordo Hereticus tasks, but they might find themselves serving under an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor. This is a normal part of life in the sometimes chaotic [[Ordos Prosperitas]], and does not mean that your character will be disadvantaged or closed out of plot which is relevant to their skills. In many cases, being the only Xenos expert in a squad of veteran demon hunters or witchfinders can bring more involvement than teaming up with others in the same profession.

=== Your Companions and Allies ===

Death Unto Darkness is a cooperative game. PCs may disagree and sometimes have conflicting points of view, but success in many missions depends on Inquisitorial agents working together. You will find it easier to get involved in the plot and hit the ground running at your first game if your PC knows and/or has ties to a few other PCs playing at the same event.

As such, you are welcome to enter play with pre-defined links to other PCs (new or already in game) - either met in your Inquisitor's Retinue or otherwise. Remember to always consult a player before establishing a link to their character in your background: it is never appropriate to roleplay a link to another PC without the player's OC consent.

If you're looking for character links, making a post on the Discord or Facebook group is a good place to start. The Game Team can also help advise on other PCs from similar backgrounds who might be appropriate for your character to know. If a PC has no ties to the party at the start of the game, it is likely that NPC orders from the Inquisitors will place them with a team or assign them a specific role to ensure everyone has a starting point for interactions.

=== Further Reading ===

* [[Building a Character]]
* [[Servants of the Inquisition]]
* [[The Prosperitas Conclave]]
* [[Life in the Imperium]]
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]]
* [[Factions of the Prosperitas Sector]]

Main Page

2023-03-02T14:36:04Z

Hal:

<div class="jumbotron jumbotron-fluid dud-jumbotron systemmap-background">
<div class="container">
<h1 class="display-4">Death unto Darkness</h1>
</div>
</div>
{{#tweekihide:firstHeading}}

Death Unto Darkness is a LARP system based on an an unapologetically feminist and queer take on Games Workshop's Warhammer 40k universe. In our current campaign, the players take on roles as agents of the Inquisition assigned to a far-off sector of the universe, fighting against Chaos, Xenos, Heresy, and, occasionally, other bits of the Imperium.

We are a not-for-profit fan-group and no individual involved in this game gains any financial benefit from doing so. All event fees are to cover the cost of hiring sites and building props for events and nothing further.

This site is dedicated to the rules and current setting of the system. If you're interested in more, you can visit [https://www.facebook.com/groups/247182592109165/ our Facebook group], or contact the system team at [mailto:deathuntodarkness@gmail.com deathuntodarkness@gmail.com] to ask for a link to our Discord server.

== Quick Start ==

If you're new to Death Unto Darkness, here are some good places to start:

* [[Campaign Events]] includes information on Death Unto Darkness events, including details of the next event.
* [[Building a Character]] guides you through the process of creating a character to play Death Unto Darkness.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] helps explain our approach to the 40k setting and lore, and the knowledge an ordinary character can expect to have.
* [[System Policies and Ethos]] explains important game policies including our approach to Equality & Diversity, self-care, behaviour at games and the social contract.
* [[Look and Feel]] explains the visual aesthetic of costume and kit that we ask players to aim for at our games.
* [[Reading the Wiki]] provides some recommendations on where to go next.

== Who is Death Unto Darkness About? ==

Death Unto Darkness is a story about the [[Servants of the Inquisition|Servants]] of the [[Inquisition]]. It is a story about those who carry out the grim work of the Inquisition - not the powerful Inquisitors themselves, but their Acolytes and Servants who sweat blood and tears in the neverending struggles hidden in the shadows of the Imperium. These people are not heroes, though they may be heroic, because heroes get recognition and glory. These people do not. They might lead double lives where their aliases’ deeds are recognised, but only so far as they are permitted by their true masters, the secretive figures that guide the Imperium. If they try and leave then, by velvet glove or iron gauntlet, they are always dragged back despite their wishes. Ultimately, they know - and the Inquisition knows - that they have stared the truths of the universe in the face; and innocence, once lost, cannot be recovered.

To report problems with this wiki, please email [mailto:wiki.deathuntodarkness@gmail.com wiki.deathuntodarkness@gmail.com].

Main Page

2023-03-02T14:35:39Z

Hal:

<div class="jumbotron jumbotron-fluid dud-jumbotron systemmap-background">
<div class="container">
<h1 class="display-4">Death unto Darkness</h1>
</div>
</div>
{{#tweekihide:firstHeading}}

Death Unto Darkness is a LARP system based on an an unapologetically feminist and queer take on Games Workshop's Warhammer 40k universe. In our current campaign, the players take on roles as agents of the Inquisition assigned to a far-off sector of the universe, fighting against Chaos, Xenos, Heresy, and, occasionally, other bits of the Imperium.

We are a not-for-profit fan-group and no individual involved in this game gains any financial benefit from doing so. All event fees are to cover the cost of hiring sites and building props for events and nothing further.

This site is dedicated to the rules and current setting of the system. If you're interested in more, you can visit [https://www.facebook.com/groups/247182592109165/ our Facebook group], or contact the system team at [mailto:deathuntodarkness@gmail.com deathuntodarkness@gmail.com] to ask for a link to our Discord server.

== Quick Start ==

If you're new to Death Unto Darkness, here are some good places to start:

* [[Campaign Events]] includes information on Death Unto Darkness events, including details of the next event.
* [[Building a Character]] guides you through the process of creating a character to play Death Unto Darkness.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] helps explain our approach to the 40k setting and lore, and the knowledge an ordinary character can expect to have.
* [[System Policies and Ethos]] explains important game policies including our approach to Equality & Diversity, self-care, behaviour at games and the social contract.
* [[Look and Feel]] explains the visual aesthetic of costume and kit that we ask players to aim for at our games.
* [[Reading the Wiki]] provides some recommendations on where to go next.

== Who is Death Unto Darkness About? ==

Death Unto Darkness is a story about the [[Servants of the Inquisition|Servants]] of the [[Inquisition]]. It is a story about those who carry out the grim work of the Inquisition - not the powerful Inquisitors themselves, but their Acolytes and Servants who sweat blood and tears in the neverending struggles hidden in the shadows of the Imperium.

To report problems with this wiki, please email [mailto:wiki.deathuntodarkness@gmail.com wiki.deathuntodarkness@gmail.com].

Exorcism (Exorcists)

2023-03-01T14:39:01Z

Hal:

"Exorcism" is a word commonly: bandied about in the Imperium, it is not unknown for the Priests of the Imperial Faith to have those amongst their number who claim to be exorcists. There are many lay followers of the Faith who practice ritualistic "exorcisms" in their daily duties. In the eyes of the Inquisition, these are placebos and theatrical displays to reinforce Faith at best, and the providence of charlatans at worst.

"True" Exorcism is an esoteric practice that relies on rites of Sanctic Sorcery, the rarest form of warp manipulation. It is a secret guarded jealously by the Inquisition and a few other secretive organisations within the Imperium. It is a dangerous, and often deadly, line of work for an Inquisitorial agent, as to grapple with the cloying stuff of chaos metaphysically imperils the soul and body both.

The Ordo Malleus and the Inquisition at large forbids its Agents from exposing Exorcisms to innocent bystanders, who are often euthanised or mindwiped if they witness one.

==== Methods of Exorcism ====
In OC terms, it '''does not matter''' what exact form the Exorcism ritual takes.

Your character has studied esoteric lores about the nature of Daemons and the rites which cast them out in the process of learning this lore, and is likely to have very fixed ideas about what types of Exorcism are both effective and safe. Your character is aware that Exorcism involves interacting with the powers of the Warp and is therefore '''not without risk'''; the training staff of the Ordo Malleus stress the importance of sticking to set forms and rituals to avoid unexpected effects.

Some common traditional methods which are found in Exorcisms are:

* The invocation of the name of the [[God-Emperor]] or [[Omnissiah]] in Low or High Gothic or Binaric.

* The use of holy water blessed by a priest cast upon the target’s flesh, the application of sacred oils and unguents where the target is mechanical or a machine.

* The use of religious gestures (sign of the Aquila, sign of the Cog) or religious icons and incantation of prayers, psalms and forms of words such as those found on the [[Prayer and Liturgy]] page; binaric hymns sacred to the Cult Mechanicus.

* Physical scourging or symbolic wounds inflicted upon a living target – the use of fire and heat has symbolic value to the Imperium.

* Attempting to rouse the [[Science_and_Technology#Machine_Spirits|Machine Spirit]] of a possessed machine to resist corruption via extolling its virtues and publicly speaking its great deeds.

Any of these methods will likely be effective, as well as any roleplay appropriate to your character’s background and characterisation.

If your character loses faith in the efficacy of their methods, you must see a Ref before conducting an Exorcism.

If you attempt to carry out an Exorcism while you are '''Tempted by Corruption''', it is highly likely to fail. You must see a Ref before attempting it.

Exorcisms are violent processes; the warp resists being driven from the flesh once it has taken purchase. This makes them dangerous for both the target and exorcist; the corruption might well fight back.

===== Ritual Circles =====

Exceptionally, some rituals require the exorcist to establish a '''warded circle'''. This takes the form of a simple circle drawn in chalk, blood, salt or some other esoteric material. Some players have found it easier to represent this using symbols on pre-made mats or using various props to mark out a circle: this is fine - the general rule is that it should take some time to set up.

In some circumstances we may inform you that we cannot actually draw on floors due to the requests of the site hosting our game; in this case, if you have nothing prepared to represent a circle it is perfectly fine to roleplay drawing one out even if there is nothing there.

=== Combat Exorcisms ===
While not all Exorcists are combatants, the rites they know can be weaponized to better combat warp entities and other beings who have been corrupted by the powers of the warp. This is via the use of applied Sanctic rites and appropriately blessed equipment that they carry on their person.

An Exorcist may expend ONE [[Supply]] or [[Willpower]] to:

* '''Make a single call of SANCTIC KNOCKBACK within melee reach of a foe'''. The effect of this can vary, from driving lesser warp beings away or out of bodies (often used in the case of possessed corpses and the animated dead) to causing larger and more powerful ones to briefly pause. This might not have any effect at all against some very powerful entities.

* '''Make up to five calls of SANCTIC WEAKEN, with no less than 10s between them, within melee reach of a foe''' The effect of this can vary, from having the normal effect of [[Calls|WEAKEN]] on a target otherwise not normally affected by it, to making mundane weapons able to briefly harm manifested daemons who would otherwise be immune or resistant to them.

These effects can be repeated (at the same cost in Supplies and Willpower) so long as you have Willpower remaining.

This is physrepped by throwing (larp safe) vials of holy water or sanctic salts, miming tossing it on the target (please don't use liquids, some of our kit has electronics we'd rather avoid getting wet), or striking the target with silver stakes or striking it with or brandishing (larp-safe) holy icons against it.

=== Exorcising Corruption ===
Perhaps unsurprisingly given their name, the most common role of Exorcists in the Holy Ordos is providing esoteric first aid against encroachments of the Warp upon the mind, body and soul. These are afflictions to which Inquisitorial Agents are often exposed by the nature of the Hidden War against the Archenemy.

An Exorcist can attempt to purge [[Corruption]] from another character. There is no mechanical way to tell which 'level' of corruption a character is on: it relies entirely on observing the level of unusual/corrupted roleplay from the individual and the Exorcist making their best guess. They must then bid the correct amount of Willpower (see beneath) to purge it (or overbid to be sure):

* The target of an Exorcism must either be a willing participant, or '''Subdued''' or restrained (in a manner all the players involved are comfortable with) in order to be Exorcised.

* A character who is Brushed (1), Touched (2) or Marked (3) Tempted (4) may be exorcised by bidding the appropriate amount of willpower (denoted in brackets) and then performing a 5 minute exorcism ritual.
** The Rituals required to deal with Brushed/Touched/Marked are subtle and usually less obvious. They '''do not''' require a Warded Circle.
** A character who is '''Tempted''' must be contained within a '''Warded Circle''' (see above) and are often quite loud and obvious when performed.

* Before they begin the ritual roleplay the Exorcist performs a [[Power Test]]. If they pass, the ritual continues as normal. If they fail then a complication has occurred: they must draw from the [[Rules Downloads|Exorcism Risk Deck]] and work the complication into their ritual. Not all complications cause the Ritual to fail.
** If a Complication occurs that would cause the Ritual to fail, then there is no requirement to perform the full five minute ritual. You can choose to initiate the complication at the best possible dramatic moment.

* At the end of the ritual, the Exorcist should notify their target that if they were at (the level you bid willpower to cleanse) or below, they reduce their Corruption by '''two levels'''.
** If the Exorcist underbid and the character was on a higher level of corruption the ritual fails - the Willpower bid is spend regardless.
** There is usually no immediate surefire indication of success or failure - the target may roleplay the weight of corruption lifting from them.
** A character who has been exorcised cannot attack, make calls, ''or be Exorcised again'' until they [[Recuperate]].
** A character who has [[Corruption_and_Faith#Embracing_Chaos_and_becoming_Overwhelmed|Embraced Chaos]] must accept the '''Emperor's Judgement''' from the Exorcist, roleplaying demonstrating regret for giving into temptation and suffering the effects beneath. However they can choose to hold onto their corruption and '''expend one willpower''' to cause the Ritual to fail, remaining corrupted.

A character who is tainted by the effects of the Warp can usually be Exorcised without significant permanent effects. The Exorcist's methods may leave them scarred, or the Exorcist may choose to impose a Penance upon them to assist in keeping their soul pure. However, in general these Exorcisms do not '''require''' lasting mechanical effects on the subject to be successful.

=== The Emperor's Judgement ===

A character who has '''Embraced Chaos''' by using one of the '''boons''' offered to them by the Dark Powers, or by casting off negative effects by willingly jumping to their '''Tempted''' level, must face '''The Emperor's Judgement'''.

* Roleplaying '''The Emperor's Judgement''': Exorcisms for characters in this state are typically more extreme, more painful and require physical damage to be inflicted upon the subject, either by the Exorcist or at their direction. They always require a '''Warded Circle'''.

* Physical consequences: As a result of their brutal scourging, characters who have undergone '''The Emperor's Judgement''' cannot exceed half their maximum [[Endurance]] for the remainder of the event.

* Spiritual consequences: The Exorcist must assign their subject a '''penance'''. This is a pattern of behaviour they must follow to protect themselves against the temptations of the Warp. For example, they might be required to pray after every battle, or to act as a servant for one of their fellow Imperials. This '''penance''' is usually calculated to specifically offset the Temptations of the Dark Powers facing the subject.

* Should the subject fail to follow this '''penance''', or willingly break it, they have willingly fallen to Chaos. They gain one use of their '''Tempted''' boon and immediately become '''Overwhelmed'''.

=== Exorcising Possession ===
Possession refers to the act of another sentience entering a body and subsuming control of it. Beings of the Warp, including Daemons, use it to enter reality but some particularly sinister [[Psykers]] and other beings have been known to do it too. This requires a different approach to cleansing a body of the taint of the warp: unlike in the case of Corruption, there is another (potentially quite powerful) entity resisting the Exorcists. If it does not wish to, or cannot willingly, leave the body it must be purged at great risk:

* The Possessed body must be '''Subdued''', '''Bleeding''' or otherwise unable to move freely and must be kept within a '''Warded Circle''' for this to work.

* '''Up to three''' Exorcists may participate in this Exorcism.

* '''Exorcists must blindly bid an amount of their willpower''' to purge the entity possessing of a body that may be pooled from every Exorcist involved.

** '''If you underbid the entity''' you must draw from your deck until you get a card that causes you to fail the ritual. If the Card has a method to resist its effects, you cannot use it. The ritual has failed, you may continue the ritual roleplay in order to trigger the complication when it would be most dramatic to do so.
*** If you draw '''Possession''' or '''Greater Possession''' the ritual succeeds and the target is free of the entity - you on the other hand...
*** If you know the '''True Name''' of the entity possessing the individual you may redraw your card and pick the one you prefer to suffer.

** '''If you outbid the entity''' then before you begin the ritual roleplay each Exorcist performs a [[Power Test]]. If they pass, the ritual continues as normal; if they fail then a complication has occurred: they must draw from the [[Rules Downloads|Exorcism Risk Deck]] and work the complication into their ritual. Not all complications cause the Ritual to fail.
*** If you draw '''Possession''' or '''Greater Possession''' the ritual succeeds and the target is free of the entity - you on the other hand...
*** If you know the '''True Name''' of the entity possessing the individual you may redo your Power Test on a failure.

* They may then, depending on the outcomes of the complications - proceed as above with a five minute ritual.

* If the Exorcism or Banishment succeeds the being is driven from the flesh it is possessing or from reality.
** All Exorcists and a Character who has been Exorcised are unable to attack or make calls until they [[Recuperate]].

[[Category:Rules]]

Decks and Lore Downloads

2023-03-01T11:41:01Z

Hal: Redirected page to Rules Downloads

#REDIRECT [[Rules Downloads]]

Game Themes

2023-02-27T18:01:40Z

Hal: updated Hope Not Hate link

This page is part of the [[System Policies and Ethos]] and explains the themes which you can expect to encounter at Death Unto Darkness games, as well as themes which are unacceptable to roleplay at our games.

=== Controversial Themes and Dark Roleplay ===

Death Unto Darkness is set in an interpretation of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40k setting. This is a totalitarian far-future dystopia where the dominant human culture is a theocratic, authoritarian dictatorship which does not value human life or freedom. Players and crew should be prepared to encounter grim and dark themes as part of their roleplay.

This is a non-exhaustive list of themes which form part of the Death unto Darkness and the wider 40K setting, and which may be encountered as part of your play:

* Violence, injury and death
* Slavery, imprisonment and coerced/forced labour
* Unjust legal systems
* Execution
* Mind control, telepathy and loss of autonomy
* Coercive power and class dynamics; use of authority to intimidate
* Creation of false and unreliable memories
* Discrimination on the basis of fictional characteristics such as IC religion, mutation or IC social class
* Religious themes including appeal to religious authority

When booking for an event as crew or player, you will have the opportunity to specify triggers or phobias which you would prefer not to encounter in play (for example, spiders or enclosed spaces). The Game Team will make best effort to ensure you are not exposed to material which you have listed. However, we '''cannot guarantee''' that you will not encounter such material in play, including from other players. We therefore recommend that all players make informed decisions about their safety and enjoyment in playing the game, particularly if they find any of the themes above troubling or objectionable to encounter in a fictional context.

=== Unacceptable Themes ===

The 40k setting is one filled with darkness and despair, but some topics are simply best avoided as in-game subjects because we believe that they add nothing to our game and can impact severely on players who may have had to deal with these subjects in real life. The following themes must never be used by players as part of their roleplay, and will never be used as part of game team plot:

* Sexual assault, sexual coercion and all forms of non-consensual sex including forced pregnancy (such as immaculate conception).

* Sex with minors.

* Infertility, Miscarriage and Stillbirth.

* Murder of Children.
* Mental Illness/Learning Disabilities. (while the [[Madness]] system is designed to represent Lovecraftian mental trauma, these are things that face real people, even players on a daily basis, and so shouldn’t be used as plot devices.)

* Nazi/WW2 German symbolism, imagery and uniforms are expressly forbidden as are other '''[https://www.adl.org/resources/hate-symbols/search [linked<nowiki>]</nowiki>] '''. The knowing use of these in your kit is subject to an immediate ban and removal from games. The use of other real life political imagery is generally discouraged with the exception of imagery associated with gender equality and pride in gender/sexual identity. If you're unsure about a symbol or image you are using, [[Contact]] the game team and we will provide guidance on avoiding mirroring the symbology of hate groups.

In addition, DuD is a sex-positive and kink-positive setting and game - however we will not include anything about sexuality, gender and sexual acts in any mechanical effects or any event theme. We don’t want to force players who are uncomfortable to interact with such themes. While we don’t discourage you from roleplaying them as part of your character's story, we suggest they are better contained to controlled spaces where only people who consent to interacting with them have to.

=== The Traffic Light System ===

There may be dark and sometimes disturbing imagery and themes used in the game, and we respect that some participants may find themselves affected by this. To this end you may use the ‘Traffic Light’ system to inform players, crew and refs of discomfort without needing to stop the game:

* '''Red''' should be used to indicate that you are extremely uncomfortable with the scene, and indicates to all participants to stop and move away from the subject matter being used/discussed.

*'''Amber''' indicates to others that you are affected by the subject matter and that they should be careful or back off from a subject to allow you to settle.

* '''Green''' can be used to indicate to others that you are comfortable and happy to move on with a subject.

If you are overwhelmed or completely unable to deal with a subject and need to bring an immediate end to it, you may call '''Stop the Game''' at any point. At this point all participants should cease roleplay to allow the participant in question to remove themselves from the play area and talk to a referee.

The Imperial Government

2023-02-27T09:48:33Z

Hal:

The Imperial Government is nominally a monarchy with the Immortal God Emperor at its heart. However the Emperor has been silent for nearly ten thousand years now, since ascending Their Great Golden Throne after their victory over the demon Horus. After His internment, the Imperial government was reformed by His son, Guilliman, who placed the Senatorum Imperialis, most commonly called ‘The High Lords of Terra’, as the ruling body of the Imperium in the Emperor’s absence.

The High Lords rule with Imperial prerogative on their side and can demand the obedience of any servant of the Imperium, save only the Imperial Inquisition who owe their power directly to the Emperor personally through ancient authority granted to their secretive kind. However, because of the vast distances involved in governing the Imperium and the unreliability of interstellar travel and communications, the High Lords focus solely upon the issues that affect the Imperium as a whole, rather than the day to day minutiae of each of its worlds.

Each planet of the Imperium has its own system of governance. The great majority reflect the Imperium in that they are autocracies led by a figure commonly referred to as an Imperial Governor or Imperial Commander, though many hold local titles. More often than not this is a hereditary role, held by a member of the planet’s highest caste out of respect for tradition, and ‘right’ to rule rather than by merit. Though this is the most common form of Government (and the one the Imperium encourages when it installs the leadership of a newly conquered world), there are other systems, but they are universally authoritarian. Oligarchies and technocracies are the second most common; democracy is all but extinct, and where it does exist, there is only a single, Imperial, party. Totalitarianism is what holds the Imperium together, and it believes that freedoms like open democracies encourage idleness and disobedience.

Above local governments, each region of the galaxy is divided into administrative zones called ‘Sectors’. Each is ruled by a Sector Government or, if the Sector is under military rule as it is the subject of a large-scale military operation or ‘Crusade’, an individual granted the rank of Warmaster. The majority of Sector Governments represent the furthest reach of direct communication from the High Lords of Terra themselves; it is their responsibility to ensure that the worlds under their administration remain loyal and productive. They wield the might of the Imperial Battle Fleets and the Regiments of the Imperial Guard to keep worlds in line should they stray or fail to meet production quotas (or ‘tithes’).

Above the Sector Governments are the major administrative zones of the Imperium, the Segmenta: Segmentum Obscurus to the Galactic North, Segmentum Ultima to the Galactic East, Segmentum Tempestus to the Galactic South, Segmentum Pacificus to the Galactic West, and at the center of the Imperium, Segmentum Solar: the heavily defended cradle of mankind, and the location of Terra and the Sol System. The Prosperitas Sector is located in Segmentum Obscurus, bordering several Sectors vital for the defence of the Imperium from the periodic threats that emerge from the permanent Warp Storm known as the Eye of Terror.

=== The Administratum ===

The whole Imperium would collapse if it were not for the creaking inefficient Imperial Civil Service, the Adeptus Terra. This is made up of several divisions known as ‘Adepti’, each the equivalent of a a M.2 British Civil Service ‘Ministry’ with special responsibilities for a particular area of life in the Imperium. The majority of these relevant to most citizens are covered in other sections, but the single most prevalent of these, the Adeptus Administratum, plays an important role in the governance of the Imperium.

Without the Adeptus Administratum the Imperium would grind to a halt. Its legions of administrators, recorders, bureaucrats, scribes, political assistants, advisors and other dull-titled individuals are the grey-robed and dour-faced souls that ensure that the Imperium runs. Nominally all Governments are a part of the Administratum, but most like to show a semblance of autonomy and direct control. In truth, the Administratum runs almost all levels of life on a world, leaving policy and major decision making to the Imperium’s ruling caste while they go about the boring daily tasks, forms and paperwork upon which the Imperium is run.

Even so, the Administratum has a horrific reputation with most common citizens. Its obsession with imbuing in its employees an almost religiously fanatical obsession with guidelines, rules, procedure and a strict adherence to filling in the correct forms make them a nightmare to deal with if an average citizen wants anything done. A highborn citizen might well be able to speed things along a little with influence, but for the majority of citizens, while dealing with local administrators is not awful, anything that requires the approval of someone more senior can take days of forms and queuing before it is even heard; often it can be years before a request is confirmed by someone more senior, if it needs to be taken to the Sector level. Notoriously on frontier worlds is is not unheard of for birth certificates to be officially recorded for census on Terra as the death certificate for that citizen is leaving their homeworld.

For this reason and reputation, most citizens avoid involving the Administratum in their lives where possible.

=== Special Circumstances ===

A handful of worlds enjoy a status outside the reach of the Administratum; these tend to be places of power for one of the other Adeptus Terra, such as the Adeptus Ministorum, the Priests of the Imperial Faith, who prefer their holy planets to be under their direct rule. Worlds at war or undergoing invasion often fall under the rule of a Military Officer but these situations are fleeting as that Military Governor is often quickly made an official ruler.

The Forgeworlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus are a unique entity. The Mechanicum or the Martian Empire is, in theory, a separate entity to the Imperium bound by ancient treaties over ten thousand years old. Though the lines are blurred by varying degrees of integration with the Imperium (some Forgeworlds have dual Imperial and Mechanicus governments) the Forge Worlds are mostly governed by the Mechanicus’ internal bureaucracy with any Administratum functionaries existing to ensure manufactured goods are routed to where in the galaxy they are needed.

Within the '''Prosperitas Sector''' while both of the above situations remain true, the most relevant fact is that much of the Sector is considered 'beyond civilization' by the Imperium, this is a notable fact, as many of the [[The Imperial Nobility|Houses]] that founded the sector are Rogue Traders and as a result possess Warrants of Trade that permit them to operate beyond Imperial law in uncivilized regions, a fact many Houses have exploited to gain wealth and power.

The Imperial Government

2023-02-27T09:27:34Z

Hal: AVE ORDO REDACTUS

The Imperial Government is nominally a monarchy with the Immortal God Emperor at its heart. However the Emperor has been silent for nearly ten thousand years now, since ascending Their Great Golden Throne after their victory over the demon Horus. After His Ascension, the Imperial government was reformed by His son, Guilliman, who placed the Senatorum Imperialis, most commonly called ‘The High Lords of Terra’, as the ruling body of the Imperium in the Emperor’s absence.

The High Lords rule with Imperial prerogative on their side and can demand the obedience of any servant of the Imperium, save only the Imperial Inquisition who owe their power directly to the Emperor personally through ancient authority granted to their secretive kind. However, because of the vast distances involved in governing the Imperium and the unreliability of interstellar travel and communications, the High Lords focus solely upon the issues that affect the Imperium as a whole, rather than the day to day minutiae of each of its worlds.

Each planet of the Imperium has its own system of governance. The great majority reflect the Imperium in that they are autocracies led by a figure commonly referred to as an Imperial Governor or Imperial Commander, though many hold local titles. More often than not this is a hereditary role, held by a member of the planet’s highest caste out of respect for tradition, and ‘right’ to rule rather than by merit. Though this is the most common form of Government (and the one the Imperium encourages when it installs the leadership of a newly conquered world), there are other systems, but they are universally authoritarian. Oligarchies and technocracies are the second most common; democracy is all but extinct, and where it does exist, there is only a single, Imperial, party. Totalitarianism is what holds the Imperium together, and it believes that freedoms like open democracies encourage idleness and disobedience.

Above local governments, each region of the galaxy is divided into administrative zones called ‘Sectors’. Each is ruled by a Sector Government or, if the Sector is under military rule as it is the subject of a large-scale military operation or ‘Crusade’, an individual granted the rank of Warmaster. The majority of Sector Governments represent the furthest reach of direct communication from the High Lords of Terra themselves; it is their responsibility to ensure that the worlds under their administration remain loyal and productive. They wield the might of the Imperial Battle Fleets and the Regiments of the Imperial Guard to keep worlds in line should they stray or fail to meet production quotas (or ‘tithes’).

Above the Sector Governments are the major administrative zones of the Imperium, the Segmenta: Segmentum Obscurus to the Galactic North, Segmentum Ultima to the Galactic East, Segmentum Tempestus to the Galactic South, Segmentum Pacificus to the Galactic West, and at the center of the Imperium, Segmentum Solar: the heavily defended cradle of mankind, and the location of Terra and the Sol System. The Prosperitas Sector is located in Segmentum Obscurus, bordering several Sectors vital for the defence of the Imperium from the periodic threats that emerge from the permanent Warp Storm known as the Eye of Terror.

=== The Administratum ===

The whole Imperium would collapse if it were not for the creaking inefficient Imperial Civil Service, the Adeptus Terra. This is made up of several divisions known as ‘Adepti’, each the equivalent of a a M.2 British Civil Service ‘Ministry’ with special responsibilities for a particular area of life in the Imperium. The majority of these relevant to most citizens are covered in other sections, but the single most prevalent of these, the Adeptus Administratum, plays an important role in the governance of the Imperium.

Without the Adeptus Administratum the Imperium would grind to a halt. Its legions of administrators, recorders, bureaucrats, scribes, political assistants, advisors and other dull-titled individuals are the grey-robed and dour-faced souls that ensure that the Imperium runs. Nominally all Governments are a part of the Administratum, but most like to show a semblance of autonomy and direct control. In truth, the Administratum runs almost all levels of life on a world, leaving policy and major decision making to the Imperium’s ruling caste while they go about the boring daily tasks, forms and paperwork upon which the Imperium is run.

Even so, the Administratum has a horrific reputation with most common citizens. Its obsession with imbuing in its employees an almost religiously fanatical obsession with guidelines, rules, procedure and a strict adherence to filling in the correct forms make them a nightmare to deal with if an average citizen wants anything done. A highborn citizen might well be able to speed things along a little with influence, but for the majority of citizens, while dealing with local administrators is not awful, anything that requires the approval of someone more senior can take days of forms and queuing before it is even heard; often it can be years before a request is confirmed by someone more senior, if it needs to be taken to the Sector level. Notoriously on frontier worlds is is not unheard of for birth certificates to be officially recorded for census on Terra as the death certificate for that citizen is leaving their homeworld.

For this reason and reputation, most citizens avoid involving the Administratum in their lives where possible.

=== Special Circumstances ===

A handful of worlds enjoy a status outside the reach of the Administratum; these tend to be places of power for one of the other Adeptus Terra, such as the Adeptus Ministorum, the Priests of the Imperial Faith, who prefer their holy planets to be under their direct rule. Worlds at war or undergoing invasion often fall under the rule of a Military Officer but these situations are fleeting as that Military Governor is often quickly made an official ruler.

The Forgeworlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus are a unique entity. The Mechanicum or the Martian Empire is, in theory, a separate entity to the Imperium bound by ancient treaties over ten thousand years old. Though the lines are blurred by varying degrees of integration with the Imperium (some Forgeworlds have dual Imperial and Mechanicus governments) the Forge Worlds are mostly governed by the Mechanicus’ internal bureaucracy with any Administratum functionaries existing to ensure manufactured goods are routed to where in the galaxy they are needed.

Within the '''Prosperitas Sector''' while both of the above situations remain true, the most relevant fact is that much of the Sector is considered 'beyond civilization' by the Imperium, this is a notable fact, as many of the [[The Imperial Nobility|Houses]] that founded the sector are Rogue Traders and as a result possess Warrants of Trade that permit them to operate beyond Imperial law in uncivilized regions, a fact many Houses have exploited to gain wealth and power.

Scan

2023-02-26T20:17:45Z

Hal: Redirected page to Scanning (Auspexes & Other Scanners)

#REDIRECT [[Scanning_(Auspexes_%26_Other_Scanners)]]

Reading the Wiki

2023-02-26T20:17:21Z

Hal:

This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events.

=== Must Read ===

The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event.

* [[System Policies and Ethos]] - these pages include expectations for how you should behave at Death Unto Darkness events, and a social contract we ask you to abide by.
* '''Core Rules''' - the pages under the "Core Rules" menu are important to understand how the mechanics of the game work. Even if you are only crewing a game, you must read the [[Calls]] and [[Combat and Injury]] pages.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] contains important detail about the expected level of knowledge for a starting character.
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]] includes a basic summary of information about the IC location of the campaign, and links to pages with more detail about aspects of geography, ethnicity and culture if you want to explore them.

=== Should Read ===

These pages are useful to read so that you can understand the wider setting and context our games happens in.

* The [[Life in the Imperium]] page contains an overview of daily life for residents of the Death Unto Darkness universe and are useful to help write your character's background.
* All Imperial characters are familiar with the basics of the [[The Imperial Faith]].
* If you are playing an educated character, then you should read pages relating to your field of specialisation; for example, if you playing are a detective or criminal type then [[Law and Order]] might be relevant.
* You should skim the [[Dramatis Personae]] and can use it as a reference to look up any important NPCs you might come across in play.
* The [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]] helps explain the Sector's history.
* [[The Story So Far]] contains a summary of the events that have happened in the Death Unto Darkness campaign up until now.
* You should read the pages under the '''Character Creation''' menu, starting with [[Building a Character]], if you intend to play a character at a Death Unto Darkness [[Campaign Event]] or [[Tales Event]].

=== Could Read ===

These pages are optional, but useful for players and crew looking to round out their knowledge of the setting.

* If you have access to a [[Lore]] skill, you can [[Contact]] the Game Team to be provided with a document which covers the basic reading for any individual educated with one of those important areas of lore.
* If you are playing an Ecclesiarchy character, then you could read about [[The Ecclesiarchy]] and its various [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|factions in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a military or ex-military character, you could read about [[The_Prosperitas_Crusade_and_High_Command|The Prosperitas Crusade]].
* If you are playing a follower of the Omnissiah, you could read about [[The Machine Cult]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Mechanicus_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Mechanicus in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are a noble or high society character, you could read about [[The Imperial Nobility]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Noble_Houses_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a character with special traits such as a [[Psyker]], [[Tech-Priest]], [[Exorcist]], [[Medicae]], [[Chirurgeon]] or someone with a [[Scan]] call, you will find rules which are relevant to you under the '''Special Rules''' menu.

Reading the Wiki

2023-02-26T20:16:26Z

Hal:

This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events.

=== Must Read ===

The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event.

* [[System Policies and Ethos]] - these pages include expectations for how you should behave at Death Unto Darkness events, and a social contract we ask you to abide by.
* '''Core Rules''' - the pages under the "Core Rules" menu are important to understand how the mechanics of the game work. Even if you are only crewing a game, you must read the [[Calls]] and [[Combat and Injury]] pages.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] contains important detail about the expected level of knowledge for a starting character.
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]] includes a basic summary of information about the IC location of the campaign, and links to pages with more detail about aspects of geography, ethnicity and culture if you want to explore them.

=== Should Read ===

These pages are useful to read so that you can understand the wider setting and context our games happens in.

* The [[Life in the Imperium]] page contains an overview of daily life for residents of the Death Unto Darkness universe and are useful to help write your character's background.
* All Imperial characters are familiar with the basics of the [[The Imperial Faith]].
* If you are playing an educated character, then you should read pages relating to your field of specialisation; for example, if you playing are a detective or criminal type then [[Law and Order]] might be relevant.
* You should skim the [[Dramatis Personae]] and can use it as a reference to look up any important NPCs you might come across in play.
* The [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]] helps explain the Sector's history.
* [[The Story So Far]] contains a summary of the events that have happened in the Death Unto Darkness campaign up until now.
* You should read the pages under the '''Character Creation''' menu, starting with [[Building a Character]], if you intend to play a character at a Death Unto Darkness [[Campaign Event]] or [[Tales Event]].

=== Could Read ===

These pages are optional, but useful for players and crew looking to round out their knowledge of the setting.

* If you have access to a [[Lore]] skill, you should [[Contact]] the Game Team to be provided with a document which covers the basic reading for any individual educated with one of those important areas of lore.
* If you are playing an Ecclesiarchy character, then you could read about [[The Ecclesiarchy]] and its various [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|factions in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a military or ex-military character, you should read about [[he_Prosperitas_Crusade_and_High_Command|The Prosperitas Crusade]].
* If you are playing a follower of the Omnissiah, you should read about [[The Machine Cult]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Mechanicus_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Mechanicus in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are a noble or high society character, you could read about [[The Imperial Nobility]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Noble_Houses_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a character with special traits such as a [[Psyker]], [[Tech-Priest]], [[Exorcist]], [[Medicae]], [[Chirurgeon]] or someone with a [[Scan]] call, you should read the relevant pages under the '''Special Rules''' menu relevant to your character.

The Imperial Government

2023-02-26T20:04:57Z

Hal: AVE ORDO REDACTUS

The Imperial Government is nominally a monarchy with the Immortal God Emperor at its heart. However the Emperor has been silent for nearly ten thousand years now, since ascending Their Great Golden Throne after their victory over the demon Horus. After His interment, the Imperial government was reformed by His son, Guilliman, who placed the Senatorum Imperialis, most commonly called ‘The High Lords of Terra’, as the ruling body of the Imperium in the Emperor’s absence.

The High Lords rule with Imperial prerogative on their side and can demand the obedience of any servant of the Imperium, save only the Imperial Inquisition who owe their power directly to the Emperor personally through ancient authority granted to their secretive kind. However, because of the vast distances involved in governing the Imperium and the unreliability of interstellar travel and communications, the High Lords focus solely upon the issues that affect the Imperium as a whole, rather than the day to day minutiae of each of its worlds.

Each planet of the Imperium has its own system of governance. The great majority reflect the Imperium in that they are autocracies led by a figure commonly referred to as an Imperial Governor or Imperial Commander, though many hold local titles. More often than not this is a hereditary role, held by a member of the planet’s highest caste out of respect for tradition, and ‘right’ to rule rather than by merit. Though this is the most common form of Government (and the one the Imperium encourages when it installs the leadership of a newly conquered world), there are other systems, but they are universally authoritarian. Oligarchies and technocracies are the second most common; democracy is all but extinct, and where it does exist, there is only a single, Imperial, party. Totalitarianism is what holds the Imperium together, and it believes that freedoms like open democracies encourage idleness and disobedience.

Above local governments, each region of the galaxy is divided into administrative zones called ‘Sectors’. Each is ruled by a Sector Government or, if the Sector is under military rule as it is the subject of a large-scale military operation or ‘Crusade’, an individual granted the rank of Warmaster. The majority of Sector Governments represent the furthest reach of direct communication from the High Lords of Terra themselves; it is their responsibility to ensure that the worlds under their administration remain loyal and productive. They wield the might of the Imperial Battle Fleets and the Regiments of the Imperial Guard to keep worlds in line should they stray or fail to meet production quotas (or ‘tithes’).

Above the Sector Governments are the major administrative zones of the Imperium, the Segmenta: Segmentum Obscurus to the Galactic North, Segmentum Ultima to the Galactic East, Segmentum Tempestus to the Galactic South, Segmentum Pacificus to the Galactic West, and at the center of the Imperium, Segmentum Solar: the heavily defended cradle of mankind, and the location of Terra and the Sol System. The Prosperitas Sector is located in Segmentum Obscurus, bordering several Sectors vital for the defence of the Imperium from the periodic threats that emerge from the permanent Warp Storm known as the Eye of Terror.

=== The Administratum ===

The whole Imperium would collapse if it were not for the creaking inefficient Imperial Civil Service, the Adeptus Terra. This is made up of several divisions known as ‘Adepti’, each the equivalent of a a M.2 British Civil Service ‘Ministry’ with special responsibilities for a particular area of life in the Imperium. The majority of these relevant to most citizens are covered in other sections, but the single most prevalent of these, the Adeptus Administratum, plays an important role in the governance of the Imperium.

Without the Adeptus Administratum the Imperium would grind to a halt. Its legions of administrators, recorders, bureaucrats, scribes, political assistants, advisors and other dull-titled individuals are the grey-robed and dour-faced souls that ensure that the Imperium runs. Nominally all Governments are a part of the Administratum, but most like to show a semblance of autonomy and direct control. In truth, the Administratum runs almost all levels of life on a world, leaving policy and major decision making to the Imperium’s ruling caste while they go about the boring daily tasks, forms and paperwork upon which the Imperium is run.

Even so, the Administratum has a horrific reputation with most common citizens. Its obsession with imbuing in its employees an almost religiously fanatical obsession with guidelines, rules, procedure and a strict adherence to filling in the correct forms make them a nightmare to deal with if an average citizen wants anything done. A highborn citizen might well be able to speed things along a little with influence, but for the majority of citizens, while dealing with local administrators is not awful, anything that requires the approval of someone more senior can take days of forms and queuing before it is even heard; often it can be years before a request is confirmed by someone more senior, if it needs to be taken to the Sector level. Notoriously on frontier worlds is is not unheard of for birth certificates to be officially recorded for census on Terra as the death certificate for that citizen is leaving their homeworld.

For this reason and reputation, most citizens avoid involving the Administratum in their lives where possible.

=== Special Circumstances ===

A handful of worlds enjoy a status outside the reach of the Administratum; these tend to be places of power for one of the other Adeptus Terra, such as the Adeptus Ministorum, the Priests of the Imperial Faith, who prefer their holy planets to be under their direct rule. Worlds at war or undergoing invasion often fall under the rule of a Military Officer but these situations are fleeting as that Military Governor is often quickly made an official ruler.

The Forgeworlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus are a unique entity. The Mechanicum or the Martian Empire is, in theory, a separate entity to the Imperium bound by ancient treaties over ten thousand years old. Though the lines are blurred by varying degrees of integration with the Imperium (some Forgeworlds have dual Imperial and Mechanicus governments) the Forge Worlds are mostly governed by the Mechanicus’ internal bureaucracy with any Administratum functionaries existing to ensure manufactured goods are routed to where in the galaxy they are needed.

Within the '''Prosperitas Sector''' while both of the above situations remain true, the most relevant fact is that much of the Sector is considered 'beyond civilization' by the Imperium, this is a notable fact, as many of the [[The Imperial Nobility|Houses]] that founded the sector are Rogue Traders and as a result possess Warrants of Trade that permit them to operate beyond Imperial law in uncivilized regions, a fact many Houses have exploited to gain wealth and power.

Reading the Wiki - READ SECOND

2023-02-26T20:01:26Z

Hal: Redirected page to Reading the Wiki

#REDIRECT [[Reading the Wiki]]

Reading the Wiki

2023-02-26T20:00:58Z

Hal:

This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events.

=== Must Read ===

The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event.

* [[System Policies and Ethos]] - these pages include expectations for how you should behave at Death Unto Darkness events, and a social contract we ask you to abide by.
* '''Core Rules''' - the pages under the "Core Rules" menu are important to understand how the mechanics of the game work. Even if you are only crewing a game, you must read the [[Calls]] and [[Combat and Injury]] pages.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] contains important detail about the expected level of knowledge for a starting character.
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]] includes a basic summary of information about the IC location of the campaign, and links to pages with more detail about aspects of geography, ethnicity and culture if you want to explore them.

=== Should Read ===

These pages are useful to read so that you can understand the wider setting and context our games happens in.

* The [[Life in the Imperium]] page contains an overview of daily life for residents of the Death Unto Darkness universe and are useful to help write your character's background.
* All Imperial characters are familiar with the basics of the [[The Imperial Faith]].
* If you are playing an educated character, then you should read pages relating to your field of specialisation; for example, if you playing are a detective or criminal type then [[Law and Order]] might be relevant.
* You should skim the [[Dramatis Personae]] and can use it as a reference to look up any important NPCs you might come across in play.
* The [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]] helps explain the Sector's history.
* [[The Story So Far]] contains a summary of the events that have happened in the Death Unto Darkness campaign up until now.

=== Could Read ===

These pages are optional, but useful for players and crew looking to round out their knowledge of the setting.

* If you have access to a [[Lore]] skill, you should [[Contact]] the Game Team to be provided with a document which covers the basic reading for any individual educated with one of those important areas of lore.
* If you are playing an Ecclesiarchy character, then you could read about [[The Ecclesiarchy]] and its various [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|factions in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a military or ex-military character, you should read about [[The Prosperitas Crusade]].
* If you are playing a follower of the Omnissiah, you should read about [[The Machine Cult]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Mechanicus_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Mechanicus in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are a noble or high society character, you could read about [[The Imperial Nobility]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Noble_Houses_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector]].

Reading the Wiki

2023-02-26T20:00:49Z

Hal: Created page with "This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events. === Must Read === The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event. * System Policies and Ethos - the..."

This page guides you through reading the Wiki. We understand that there is a lot of material here which can feel intimidating. '''You don't have to read the whole wiki to play'''. The pages under "Must Read" below are the minimum we expect players and crew to absorb before attending one of our events.

=== Must Read ===

The following pages are important for all players and crew to read before attending a Death unto Darkness event.

* [[System Policies and Ethos]] - these pages include expectations for how you should behave at Death Unto Darkness events, and a social contract we ask you to abide by.
* '''Core Rules''' - the pages under the "Core Rules" menu are important to understand how the mechanics of the game work. Even if you are only crewing a game, you must read the [[Calls]] and [[Combat and Injury]] pages.
* [[An_Age_of_Ignorance_-_READ_FIRST|An Age of Ignorance]] contains important detail about the expected level of knowledge for a starting character.
* [[The Prosperitas Sector]] includes a basic summary of information about the IC location of the campaign, and links to pages with more detail about aspects of geography, ethnicity and culture if you want to explore them.

=== Should Read ===

These pages are useful to read so that you can understand the wider setting and context our games happens in.

* The [[Life in the Imperium]] page contains an overview of daily life for residents of the Death Unto Darkness universe and are useful to help write your character's background.
* All Imperial characters are familiar with the basics of the [[The Imperial Faith]].
* If you are playing an educated character, then you should read pages relating to your field of specialisation; for example, if you playing are a detective or criminal type then [[Law and Order]] might be relevant.
* You should skim the [[Dramatis Personae]] and can use it as a reference to look up any important NPCs you might come across in play.
* The [[Timeline of the Prosperitas Sector]] helps explain the Sector's history.
* [[The Story So Far]] contains a summary of the events that have happened in the Death Unto Darkness campaign up until now.

=== Could Read ===

These pages are optional, but useful for players and crew looking to round out their knowledge of the setting.

* If you have access to a [[Lore]] skill, you should [[Contact]] the Game Team to be provided with a document which covers the basic reading for any individual educated with one of those important areas of lore.
* If you are playing an Ecclesiarchy character, then you could read about [[The Ecclesiarchy]] and its various [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Ecclesiarchy_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|factions in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are playing a military or ex-military character, you should read about [[The Prosperitas Crusade]].
* If you are playing a follower of the Omnissiah, you should read about [[The Machine Cult]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#The_Mechanicus_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Mechanicus in the Prosperitas Sector]].
* If you are a noble or high society character, you could read about [[The Imperial Nobility]] and the [[Factions_of_the_Prosperitas_Sector#Noble_Houses_in_the_Prosperitas_Sector|Noble Houses of the Prosperitas Sector]].

An Age of Ignorance - READ FIRST

2023-02-26T19:56:51Z

Hal:

=== The Basics ===

The 41st Millennium is a Dark Age. Humanity's empire of the stars has long passed its prime and has entered a millennia-long backslide into a regressive culture that values ignorance and banality over knowledge and creativity.

* '''You don't need to have an exhaustive knowledge of Warhammer 40K canon to play'''. Lack of understanding is part of the in-game experience. Reading just one canon novel will give you more information then the average Imperial citizen is taught in a lifetime.
* '''We have made some changes to 40K canon.''' The major ones are covered in "Our Setting" below.
* '''Most of the popular 40K stories haven't happened yet''', or if they have they are too distant from our setting to be important. Most of the stories of the main setting take place within the last 200 years of M41, while our story takes place in the middle years of that millennium.
* '''You don't have to read the whole wiki'''. We have made some suggestions in [[Reading the Wiki]] to guide you, but this page covers the majority of what you need to know about the setting.

In general we do not expect you to read any other source material. This wiki contains everything you should know about the universe, if it isn’t here - it isn’t certain to be true or useful, either because it hasn’t happened yet, or because it has no direct impact on our narrative. “Well Educated” Imperial Citizens know enough to allow them to fulfill their functions, and very little else - even those placed high in the social structure know very few ‘truths’ about their world, especially the past.

When something comes up in play that isn’t mentioned here, then being surprised by it is the best response - even if you OC recognise a reference, your character probably doesn’t.

=== Our Setting - Useful Facts ===
The following generally ‘universally true’ facts are widely known by characters in our setting. Some of these do not have a solid answer in the base setting, so we have adopted them for our bootleg universe. Some of these are things we have accepted as statements of principle.

* '''Space Marines can be any gender''' - as good a boilerplate for ‘please fuck off if you have a problem with this’ as any. This is simply the way things are in our universe.

* '''Representation across the Imperium is diverse''' - over the years various long-forgotten pieces of canon have been held up by 40k fans who are not welcome at DuD justifying the lack of representation in the main universe and its model line. This is simply treated as false in our setting. The only place you will not find diversity in the Imperium is the Adepta Sororitas, who in our setting accept only recruits who identify as female. If you are wondering why we haven’t done the same for the Sororitas that we have done to Astartes - that is because we believe that erasing the only faction that gave female representation in the universe for years is vastly more problematic than helpful.

* '''Deviation from gender and sexual norms of the 21st century is not a sign of Chaos Corruption''' - much can be said of the endless issues with how the main universe has used sexual activity, especially where certain fetishes are involved, as a sign of ‘evil’ and ‘corruption’. We explicitly do not associate sexual behaviour with corruption. Please don’t make this association in your roleplay. We are sex positive and do not approve of kink-shaming or indeed any tropes associating sexual preference with ‘evil’. Chaos has weirder things to worry about then what you do in the bedroom.

* '''The Imperium is mechanically regressive''' - one of the strange notes about the Imperium is its largely universal fear of computers and thinking machines. This is an odd fear propagated even within the technologically advanced Machine Cult - it means that in many things humans are often used where one might think some kind of automaton might best be served, with whole work-crews operating the reloading processes on gigantic weapons where it seems woefully inefficient.

* '''The Imperium is surprisingly biotechnologically advanced''' - perhaps one of the freakish and disturbing factors of Imperial engineering is that it takes its reliance on the human component to the grotesque extreme - it would not be unusual to find brain matter, or indeed the entire head of a human or some other biological lifeform worked into the components of an Imperial machine. The Imperium has a great deal of veneration for the surety of human flesh where it lacks it in computers. While these homunculi or ‘Servitors’ as they are commonly known are a common punishment carried out on criminals in the Imperium the need for them is far greater than those bodies that can be served up by criminal justice. To meet their needs, the Imperium vat-grows millions of such creations daily - this need for biological components has left the Imperium incredibly masterful of biological sciences and while it has experienced regression in its knowledge it is still incredibly capable. The growing of children within an artificial womb is a trivial act allowing same-sex unions to produce offspring with little effort. And, although it has not quite found the secret of -eternal- life rejuvenat treatments can extend a natural human lifespan to nearly four hundred years, after which cybernetic augmentation of failing organs and biological components can, in theory, extend lives almost indefinitely.

=== The Age of Ignorance - Mid-M.41 ===

There is a single phrase that is repeated again and again amongst the upper echelons of the Imperium:

''“Blessed are the Ignorant for they lack the burden of knowledge...”''

This is not simply philosophy, but doctrine: the Imperium believes that its Citizens should not know more than it permits them to know. A mid-level [[Administratum]] Scribe doesn’t need to know about the worlds that the petitions for aid that cross their desk come from; they don’t need to interpret or make objective judgements - that strays far too close to independent thought. No matter how good a judgement they apply, the failure to assess something according to the standards of the Administratum can result in sanction rather than praise. The majority of the Imperial Citizenry are cogs in a machine: they fulfill a role, menial or otherwise, and they are worked hard. Eleven hour shifts are the norm; they are kept too tired to think and too tired to question. Their exposure to the world beyond their factories is in Sermons from [[the Imperial Cult]] or Propaganda Reels shown on communal vid-screens on rare occasions as a reward.

Most Scholams (Schools) in the Imperium are places where children are indoctrinated and trained for a life spent in servitude, not places of education as humans in earlier ages of humanity would understand it. [[Education]], and indeed free thought and creative expression, are often the markers of an outsider. Higher Birth, Service to the Upper Class, Outlaws - all these individuals find themselves on the outside of the masses, unable to easily reintegrate after stepping outside the blinkered life of the common citizen. This is why even those taken into the service of the Imperium’s galactic forces, the [[Imperial Navy]] and [[Imperial Guard]], rarely fit in if they are lucky enough to ‘retire’ from the service. Many choose the horrors of extensive cybernetic augmentation to repair war-wounds to keep them fighting until their death in service, over trying to live a civilian life again.

If you want to know in-depth details about life in Mid-M41 then we recommend reading the [[Life in the Imperium]] section of the Wiki - this page and its sub-pages contain the bare bones details to make it as easy to consume as possible.

=== The Imperium Eterna and the Creation Myths of the Imperium ===
The majority of Imperial citizens believe that it has ''always'' existed. The Imperium is obsessed with the past eras of its history, presented in vast mythological cycles featuring Demi-Gods and Heroes, but very rarely the common human. Yet at the same time, [[the Imperial Government]] has invested an impressive amount of time to redacting, suppressing and deliberately falsifying the history of the Imperium. Not that anyone knows this: the majority of Imperial citizens might not fully ''believe'' the mythological histories of the Imperium, but they know no more reliable stories.

Stagnancy is not just a sign of humanity's waning, it is doctrinal: so long has the Imperium stood, that many who lead it have come to believe that reform and change are heresies in themselves. This is often embodied in the phrase ''Imperium Eterna'' and supported in the creation myths of the Imperium. There has always been the Imperium, the idea that humanity had a history before it is considered a falsehood. ''Historian'' is a term that exists in the lexicon of the Imperium, but such a role does not exist - the practice of teaching history is the dominion of the Priesthood of the [[Imperial Cult]], and history is recorded according to political directives, not research.

The Imperial cult is a melting pot of local beliefs and cults, so there is no point replicating any one creation myth of the Imperium, but the following points are universally found in all of them:

* '''The God-Emperor, Master of Humanity''' (''though masculine terms are used here, Their gender varies depending on local doctrine and personal perspective'') '''created the Imperium''', forging a grand empire. There are mixed opinions on whether the God-Emperor created humanity, but many believe it so. Everyone agrees that the Emperor forged this eternal Imperium in a series of often outlandish, acts.

* '''The God-Emperor begat Nine Offspring, the Holy Primarchs'''. These Demi-Gods were Their right hand in leading the armies of the Imperium in a great undertaking to take the entire Galaxy for humanity, as is humanity's divine right. From this Offspring they created the Adeptus Astartes, the Angels of Death, peerless warriors made from the blood of the Primarchs by the Emperor, who would form the Emperor’s Legions. This undertaking was the Great Crusade, a massive military campaign that spread the Imperium to the furthest reaches of the Galaxy.

* Many myths disagree at what caused it, but at some point '''chaos erupted in the galaxy the Great Enemy disrupting the Great Crusade''', starting a period of history known as the Great Heresy or Horus Heresy. The Archdemon Horus, one of '''Nine Demons''', sometimes confusingly referred to as the Archtraitor, was the greatest threat that the Imperium had ever faced. This great tragedy was weathered, however, and the God-Emperor faced down Horus, slaying the demon and saving the Imperium, before They sat upon the Golden Throne in victory to contemplate Their great work and to protect the souls of humanity.

* Following this period '''the Primarchs completed many Great Works and accomplished many acts'''. Though few local cults would claim that ''their'' world was ever visited by the God-Emperor, those Imperial worlds old enough to believe they existed in this time of myth often have some local myth that one of the Primarchs visited their world in this age. (These accounts are often contradictory if too closely examined). In time, these Demi-Gods passed the Imperium over to the Senatorum Imperialis - the so-called High Lords of Terra, human politicians entrusted with the sacred right of leading the Imperium by divine mandate.

* Beyond this point, myths become increasingly localised retellings of planetary and sector histories, usually justifying the heritage of local rulers by tracing them back to mythological figures from humanity's past.

=== Returning Characters ===
The level of ignorance described above doesn't apply to characters who have already set foot in the wider Prosperitas Sector. Characters who have already played games are not expected to ‘reset’ their knowledge - what they have learned in play they keep for life.

Depending on your level of Lore and education, your character may begin play with a greater understanding of the truths of the Imperium's history. If in doubt, you can always [[Contact]] the game team to help calibrate what your character does and doesn't know when entering play.

Reading the Wiki - READ SECOND

2023-02-26T19:02:31Z

Hal: Created page with "Reading the Wiki"

[[Reading the Wiki]]

Main Page

2023-02-26T19:02:12Z

Hal:

Tales Events

2023-02-25T19:41:43Z

Hal:

Tales Events are events run by Death Unto Darkness players and crew, rather than the main organiser team. Our main events are called [[Campaign Events]].

If you're thinking about running a Tales Event, you should read the guide to [[Running a Tales Event]].

=== Playing a Tales Event ===

When you play a Tales Event please follow the following guideline;

* If you are playing a '''new character''' then, regardless of if you intend to join a Campaign Event or not, you ''must'' pass your character past the game team at '''writingteam.deathuntodarkness@gmail.com''' - it is not the responsibility of the Event Team to approve characters that resides with the Death Unto Darkness Game Team. Please do not select a '''Unique Trait''' as part of your traits - these are not prepared prior to Tales events, you can always select one later.

* '''Please appraise the Game Team of any changes to your character resulting from a Tales event''' - we're not going to be angry that you made a pact with the Dark Gods, just disappointed - but mostly we need to know so you character suffers ongoing effects from these changes otherwise they effectively didn't happen.

* '''Please remove any "get a ref" cards from Card Decks''' unless the Tales Event team says otherwise.

* '''Please respect the Event Team and Crew of a Tales Event as if you would a member of the Death Unto Darkness Game Team''' - the mental and physical health as well as comfort of Event Teams and Crew of any Death Unto Darkness event Tales or otherwise are valued highly by the Game Team and your poor behaviour at a Tales event will reflect upon the place you have within the system. This is not a case of 'teacher's away, we can misbehave'.

* Continue to follow our [[System Policies and Ethos]].

=== Upcoming Tales Events ===

* '''Safety Catches Off''', combat event, 30 June-2nd July at Silverwood campsite. '''Fully booked''' but accepting crew.
* '''The Acid House''', social event, date TBC, one afternoon/evening at an indoor venue in Manchester.

For details about upcoming Tales Events, [[Contact]] the organisers or ask on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/247182592109165 Facebook group].

Tales Events

2023-02-25T19:41:24Z

Hal: Replaced content with "Tales Events are events run by Death Unto Darkness players and crew, rather than the main organiser team. Our main events are called Campaign Events. If you're thinking about running a Tales Event, you should read the guide to Running a Tales Event. === Playing a Tales Event === When you play a Tales Event please follow the following guideline; * If you are playing a '''new character''' then, regardless of if you intend to join a Campaign Event or not, yo..."

Running a Tales Event

2023-02-25T19:41:13Z

Hal: Created page with "=== Principles === * We encourage players and crew to run Tales events in between our main Campaign Events. * Anyone is welcome to run a Tales event. * We will support you where we can. * Please check with the Game Team before committing to an event concept. The Death Unto Darkness Game Team always wanted to create a community around the game. Death Unto Darkness has encouraged individuals who began as players and crew to 'take the reins' and run events..."

=== Principles ===

* We encourage players and crew to run Tales events in between our main [[Campaign Events]].
* Anyone is welcome to run a Tales event.
* We will support you where we can.
* Please check with the [[Contact|Game Team]] before committing to an event concept.

The Death Unto Darkness Game Team always wanted to create a community around the game. Death Unto Darkness has encouraged individuals who began as players and crew to 'take the reins' and run events since its original conception. While we want to keep to tight narrative campaigns with a clear start and a clear end to them, we and our community benefit from encouraging others to run stories that compliment the main narrative. We also appreciate that there is a huge degree of time and investment into playing a system like ours, as it often uses kit that cannot be recycled for other systems.

We set out to provide room for people to run their own events or 'Tales' from our universe. We support these events directly to the best of our capacity.

We call these events '''Tales''' because Death Unto Darkness is a collaborative creative experience and while labelling them is important to differentiate for easy between Campaign Events and them, we in no way want to indicate that we consider them 'lesser'. Rather, they focus on narratives away from the one we're telling and provide excellent roleplaying spaces for our players to flesh out their characters. We want to encourage them, they're great (and occasionally... we actually get to ''play'' them).

Tales are considered 'canon' and are an important part of our system - anyone is welcome to run them and we will do our best to support and encourage you to do so.

If you're thinking about doing so, thank you, if you've done so already, thank you - without you putting in the time and effort to run these we'd not have nearly as rich as setting as can be accomplished in two Campaign Events per year.

=== Tales Events – a Runners Guide ===
If you are running a Death Unto Darkness Tale there are a number of specific things that you need to keep in mind that are a priority for us considering approval of your event.

* '''You must comply with the Death Unto Darkness [[System Policies and Ethos|System Policies and Ethos]]''' – failure to adhere to this and protect DuD players attending your game may result in Game Team action. A Tales event not wishing to adhere to our OOC policies will not be sanctioned, and will not be granted permission to use our ruleset. We care very much about the community we have created and we expect all members of it to adhere to our OOC philosophies.

* '''You may amend the DuD ruleset where it helps the flow of your game''', for example if you are running a one-day event if you want to increase or decrease the time taken for various stats and abilities to recover you may - do check with us first as there may be metaphysical reasons certain skills work the way they do.
** If you do choose to use amended rules you must make players aware before the game.

* '''Individuals excluded by the Death Unto Darkness Game Team should not be welcome at Tales Events''' – please check with our team first before you accept anyone onto your event just in case there are outstanding objections to their presence.

* '''You MUST provide an overview of plot and rules changes for your event to the Game Team at deathuntodarkness@gmail.com at least two weeks before the game''' in order for it to be approved.

* Both Players and Event teams should report to the Game Team after the event the results or any changes that have occurred to characters as a result of the event otherwise these cannot be accounted for.

=== Support from Death Unto Darkness' Game Team ===

* We can provide only limited support.

* We cannot provide refs and plot for your event.

The Death Unto Darkness Game Team welcomes and supports its community by encouraging the creation and running of games within Death unto Darkness campaign settings our focus will always be upon the [[Campaign Events|Campaign Events]], and for our events to succeed we cannot spread our focus too widely.

Members of the Death Unto Darkness Game Team are free to attend your event and act as a Storyteller if they wish to do so and can perform all their functions as per usual, but this is strictly voluntary and only if the Event team requires them in this role.

=== Props and Logistics ===
We cannot promise the provision of normal event logistics such as Madness/Corruption cards for players who are not pre-existing, please consider this when inviting new players to attend your player event and if planning the use of these effects be aware that you should not use standard Corruption cards at your game as these often require resolution from the Game Team.

While we don't want you using Core Madness/Corruption Tracks at these events - if you want madness/corruption effects then you can create your own (we have adobe publisher files).

The Death Unto Darkness Game Team is happy to loan out items from our Crew Kit store, however you are responsible for the transport of these items and the replacement of them if they are damaged while they are in your care.

Due to the limitations placed on our banking account and paypal we are unable to process payments and funding for your event, you will need to be responsible for this – we do not sanction the running of Tales Events for profit for legal reasons surrounding the IP we use. It is the recommendation that any spare budget is donated to charity, or donated to DuD for investment in improving the available kit for Campaign and Tales Events.

=== Plot ===
Although we largely encourage players to explore the Death Unto Darkness and 40k setting we have some explicit limitations that we would expect you to adhere to:

In our opinion a great Tales Event plot is resolved within the context of that event - there might be seeds or hints of wider plots that could be followed up at a Sequel game or potentially (with Game Team agreement) at a Campaign Event if it would not be too alienating to those who could not attend the game.

As tempting as it to create a new world-ending threat, we would prefer you don't introduce something that would spell cataclysm for the sector if the players failed – ongoing issues that might be a thorn in the side of the Imperium (a Xenos infestation, the summoning of a new Daemon) are great - but an Archenemy Death Star is probably best avoided.

* We will not sanction any plot that utilises elements expressly forbidden by our [[System_Policies_and_Ethos#Controversial_Themes_and_Dark_Roleplay|Controversial Themes and Dark Roleplay]] policy.

* '''Consequences:''' The best events are those with consequences we like Tales events that happened and we can reinforce that the players actions mattered. Please keep the game team abreast of these because we will inflict ongoing consequences where appropriate - we will always discuss with a Event Team what they think is appropriate.

==== The Prosperitas Sector ====
There are a myriad of ongoing plot threads in the Prosperitas Sector and we are open for some of them to be toyed with by the PCs;

* '''Major NPCs:''' There are several NPCs in the [[Prosperitas Dramatis Personae|Dramatis Personae]] who are important to our narrative and we would rather you didn't use - but there are also ones we are happy to free for use if asked. If you are creating major NPCs whose deaths or actions can be very important - please be sure to get permission from the Game Team first.

* '''The Inquisition:''' We will not approve plots that kill off current Inquisitors, or change the status of the Ordos Prosperitas be that positively or negatively, the rise or fall of the Prosperitas Inquisition will occur at Campaign Events only (political fallout from the PCs as Agents of the Inquisition doing something stupid as a Tale is fine).
** Please do not create new Inquisitors for your plot, an Interrogator with ties to one of our pre-existing Inquisition NPCs would be more than appropriate.

* '''The Prosperitas Crusade:''' Events that contribute to the success or failure of the Prosperitas Crusade make GREAT Tales events - because our focus is on the Holy Ordos and their objectives in combatting esoteric threats at main events often the best opportunities the PCs have to contribute to the Crusade are through small (but still meaningful) and subtle actions - a Tales event is a great event for the Crusade to move forwards as it's conflict with the Archenemy is largely a backdrop to which our little war in the shadows is fought.

* '''Noble Houses and Politics:''' The politics of the Imperium are complex and myriad, our agents often run afoul of them - we are happy to approve Tales events that feature them but we would need forewarning of their use in plots - many player characters have ties to Noble Houses or are members of them and those plots moving forwards without their involvement would be unfair.
** When creating new Noble Houses for your plot please consult with the game team if you plan for them to have wider scope beyond the immediate territory your event is set in.

* '''Planets:''' Some of the worlds in our sector are essential to our plot going forwards, some are less so - we are not explicitly against the destruction or loss of a planet to an enemy as a part of our narrative but we would like warning. Simultaneously if you wish to introduce a previously uncharted world then you are welcome to, but a new already Imperial world would be difficult to justify unless it emerged from the warp storms in Subsector Tenebris - both of these would need discussion with the Game Team first. Please feel free to use any of our existing worlds but, again, if they are relevant to plot we will suggest alternatives or introduce restrictions if necessary.

* '''The Treatment of Abhumans, Mutants and Psykers:''' Please avoid any plots that use Abhumans, Mutants and Psykers if you are going to shirk away from the systematic discrimination and abuse they face within the Imperium - this is a core concept of Imperial culture and one we are keen to maintain it as a theme because it reinforces that the players do not work for a kind or tolerant utopia.
** In the same vein we discourage plots that would focus on the resolution of these issues - the Imperium really has nobody not un-indoctrinated enough for us to get into discussions about the potential for liberation of slaves and so on.

*'''Space Marines:''' The Angels of Death in the Prosperitas Sector take the form of the '''Lions of Nemea''' (a local Space Marine Chapter) and the '''Death Watch''' of Watch Station Aegaeon (individuals from a myriad of Chapters who serve the Inquisition) - both of these require heavy physrepping it is unlikely we will approve a '''Lion of Nemea''' without consideration or a member of the Game Team or Permanent Crew playing one as they have a lore brief that is kept secret. A Marine of the Death Watch is a more likely ask but will be subject to some scruitiny.

'''Be aware''' that we will not sanction any event which uses; Custodes, Sisters of Silence, Grey Knights or Officio Assassinorium – we may approve plots relating to these powers, but not those that feature them.

Other human threats such as rebels from the '''Rising Flame''' as well as pirates and criminals and other nerdowells are fair game - we have lore available on the larger criminal enterprises in the Prosperitas Sector available if you want a more substantial non-chaos non-xenos threat.

==== Mortal Followers of Chaos ====
[[The Archenemy]] is a persistent threat in the Prosperitas Sector in the form of a myriad of cults and two large factions of mortal servants of the Chaos powers who present the main opposition for the Prosperitas Crusade taming the Sector;

* '''Warp Cults''' are the most common face of Chaos across the Imperium, they are disaffected Imperial citizens who have turned to worshipping the dark powers due to the uncaring silence of the God Emperor. We have a number of major (spanning several planets) cults in the Prosperitas Sector which we would like to be asked before you use them, but you are free to come up with your own cults for your events (as these often make nicely contained threats that can be eradicated in a single event).

* '''Chaos Factions''' refers to two large forces of non-Imperial (mostly) Human servants of the Dark Gods.
**'''The Ætin Heima''' are a triad of worlds touched by Nurgle in Subsector Tenebris that are populated by Space Barbarian servants of Chaos we call the Eye-Tribes in recent years these have been formed into the '''Weeping Eye''' and '''Creeping Death''' who are warbands led by a pair of Champions of Nurgle with multiple tribes beneath them (not all aligned to Nurgle) if you want barbarian human-shaped raiders in your event these Warbands or just an Eye-Tribe would be a good choice.
** '''The Regency''' used the rule the Prosperitas Sector as an isolated state that believed that Horus won the Horus Heresy for thousands of years - the Prosperitas Crusade was initially against them but they were believed to have collapsed some hundred or so years ago - recently a remnant of the Regency has launched a counter-offensive with a huge number of reserve forces that the Imperium was not aware of. The Regency are the main military and political threat to the Imperium in the Prosperitas Sector (other than itself) and make a good human foe for military events.

* '''Traitor Astartes''' the existence of Traitor Astartes is unknown to common citizens and the Prosperitas Sector at large, if this changes we will let you know.

* '''Xenos servants of Chaos''' are a great way to use made-up unknown races of Xenos in a different way.

==== Using Xenos ====
Xenos serve a largely background role in our Campaign Events appearing as monstrous threats or mysterious allies - they have a role to play in our sector but will rarely be front-and-focus of our events. However the presence of any Xenos creatures or technology at a Tales Event is expressly by Game Team permission only – there are various factors for this including ensuring that briefing of various Xenos races adhere to our version of canon but also that they fit with our standards.

===== Eldar =====
There are explicitly four groups of '''Eldar''' in the Prosperitas Sector and we ask that you don't make more;

* '''All Eldar are held to a high kit standard''', please please please consider this before you decide to use them - we want to execute them better than a cheap elf costume.

* '''Craftworld Amenti''' Eldar and '''Harlequins''' from the '''Masque of the Dancing Moon''' have a significant role to play in Campaign Events - we would request that if you are going to use them you check with us first - we are unlikely to approve their use.

* The '''Ishari''' are core to our plot and we would discourage their use outside of Campaign Events but as ever are always open to ideas.

* '''The Circle of Thorns''' are a Criminal Organisation who are a mix of Dark Eldar Mercenaries, Eldar Corsairs and Haemonculi are a very viable threat if you wish to use Xenos foes at your event - they also employ other Xenos and humans as part of their criminal network making them ideal for LARP encounter writing as you can pad out encounters with well-kitted Dark Eldar with human servants.

===== Other Xenos =====
We have a myriad of local Xenos infestations of varying severity as well as the presence of the Eldar - the majority of these are not known in the wider Imperium and represent localised Xenos foes that have to be contended with in the Prosperitas Sector a handful are mentioned in [[Known Xenos of the Prosperitas Sector]] in passing detail but more detailed briefs exist.

As a general rule we would ''much rather'' you created a brand new Xenos race for your event then use one of the major Xenos factions from the main canon - aliens are far more challenging to understand when they are largely unknown to the players - infections of minor Xenos races (Hrud, Kroot ect) are something we are happy with.

'''Genestealer Cults''' are the only current major 'Xenos' faction from the main-canon that have a role in our narrative and are workable for Tales events - these are currently a new and unusual threat in the Prosperitas Sector and what their appearance heralds is not yet understood. The Genestealer cults in the Prosperitas Sector also have their own lore that makes them different to the canon ones so talk to the Game Team before using them.

Costume and Physreps for any alien technology or creatures is subject to ref team review, we have a high-quality requirement for any phys reps and costumes for alien races.

* '''Squats''' (avoiding their new name) have recently re-appeared as a new faction that straddles Xenos and Abhuman, their homeworlds are close to the Galactic Core (and therefor far from the Prosperitas Sector) we are open to their inclusion in events but we wish to avoid them becoming ''Comedy'' Space Dwarfs (we are ok with well-done Space Dwarfs) - we do have a local (minor) enclave.

* '''Orks''' we have recently (at the time of writing) sold off our Ork props as we could not find a way to deliver them as what we wanted (horrible monstrous creatures rather than comedy football thugs) as such we would prefer not to approve their 'return' to our narrative and keep them a distant threat moving forwards.

The following are forbidden from use at Tales events:

* '''The Tau (but not Kroot)''', contact with the Tau has not been established in the timeframe that DuD is set and the Prosperitas Sector is too distant from their worlds.

* '''Tyranids''', the Tyranid menace has yet to arrive within the timeframe that DuD is set.

* '''Necrons''', this threat is still slumbering or unknown to the Imperium.

==== The Warp ====
The Warp is a constant presence in the Galaxy, although it is hidden behind a veil the impact of its presence on reality is so very intense that it would be impossible to avoid mentioning it even if it is only at the fringes of an event plot;

* '''Warp Decks''' - Psykers, Sorcerers and Exorcists all have decks that represent interacting with the warp - please instruct your players to remove any card that says 'get a ref' unless you have checked the cards meaning with us and are clear what you should do if it is pulled.

* '''Rituals''' - Psykers and certain other characters have the potential to do [[Psychic_Powers_(Psykers)#Psychic_Rituals|Rituals]] (all rituals follow these guidelines) - you may forbid players from performing rituals if you wish, if you wish to introduce a ritual that players can discover at your event - then it will follow the guidelines above as if you were a player and the Game Team cannot promise you approval.

* '''Manifested Daemons''' - we discourage full-blown manifestations of Daemons unless it is near the climax of an event, at the time our event occurs these are incredibly rare occurrences and are really cataclysmic events that would happen at the apex of a warp event. We forbid the use of 'standard' Daemons (i.e. those with recognisable models) unless you are borrowing the kit from another source as we would much prefer our Daemons to be unusual and varied rather than conforming to singular archetypes. If you do want to use a daemon be aware we have two categories;
** '''Named Daemons''' - owing to the fact we cannot physically represent stories-tall Greater Daemons our biggest Daemonic big bads are 'named' Daemons these Daemons are major figures within the Chaos pantheon of our Sector and are incredibly bad news if they are summoned into reality they are character-killers by nature and would never be summoned as more than one such creature at a time.
** '''Nameless Daemons''' are lesser creatures, not so powerful to have their own individual True Names but rather manifestations of psychic gestalts representing human sins and negative emotions.

* '''Ghosts''' are the result of a psychic stain left on reality by the death of an individual, they range from simple hauntings that are shocking but little more than psychic recordings to '''poltergeists''' who can effect the real world, these have their own mechanics (requiring the finishing of unfinished business or the destruction of their corpse) which can be provided by the game team.

==== The Darkness ====
The Darkness is a force made up for our canon that represents the major threat that the Players are facing down - '''it will not appear in detail at any Tales event''' but its cultists might as peripheral threats and the ambient effects of its power may have an impact on your event please check with the Game Team if there are any ongoing side effects you need to be aware of.